Travel columnist Angela Perkins looks at the wider impact of Thomas Cook’s collapse on the travel industry

IT’S been a very sad month for the travel industry.

The failure of Thomas Cook came as a huge shock to the whole country and has had far reaching effects within the industry I have worked in for the past 25 years.

Working in travel isn’t just a job for me, it’s who I am.

It has been very sad to see many old friends and colleagues lose a brand we all love and for so many to lose their jobs.

I’ve been in this industry a long time and grown up with Thomas Cook as a constant in my working life so it was heartbreaking to watch them collapse during the early hours of Monday, September 23.

In my opinion, if spirit and positivity could have kept a brand alive it would have survived.

A HUGE TASK TO BRING EVERYONE HOME

Thomas Cook was the oldest and most famous travel operator in the world.

Everyone knows them, most people have travelled with them.

For my entire career they have been one of the biggest travel providers and over the years I have booked thousands of satisfied customers with them.

My priority has been to protect and re-book my clients’ holidays.

All my clients were covered by ATOL (a scheme that protects holiday-makers in the event of a travel business failure) and therefore were all financially protected.

Not losing any money at a time like this is a comfort.

If you have been affected by Thomas Cook’s collapse and have not booked with a travel agent please refer to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) website thomascook.caa.co.uk/customers.

The CAA is doing a fantastic job and is currently managing the biggest repatriation of UK citizens since the Second World War – a huge task.

It is committed to ensuring that all holidaymakers are safely returned home.

So while there will be some short term upheaval and consolidation, there will still be a thriving travel market.

Over the next few weeks I foresee a lot of changes in the travel industry as new operators start working with hotels affected by the collapse of Thomas Cook.

There will be a lot of disruption to flights due to the massive number of Thomas Cook flights that have been grounded.

It is so important to book your holiday with a trusted, experienced travel agent – one who will assist you if things go wrong.

Sometimes they do and ATOL and ABTA (a UK travel trade association) protection are without doubt a must.

ONCE IN A LIFETIME TRIP

In other news I was lucky enough to be invited to experience an amazing iconic hotel on the shores of Lake Como in Italy last weekend and, wow, staying at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo was just wonderful.

So beautiful and so very grand. Quite simply the most luxurious hotel I have ever had the pleasure of being a guest at.

If you are celebrating a special birthday, anniversary, honeymoon, retirement, second honeymoon or are simply looking for a luxurious short break to absolutely indulge yourself then I recommend heading to Lake Como and staying here. It is a once in a lifetime trip.

I loved the elegant decor, the furnishings, the splashes of orange, the stunning view, the breathtaking mountains, the vastness of Lake Como, the five star service, the amazing room and the the magnificent breakfasts with complimentary champagne.

There was also a beautiful spa and sauna with a view of the lake, a champagne bar, a lido where you can swim and stunning pool areas.

Even the sun beds and towels were luxurious and super comfortable.

As you would expect, I am a pretty good travel reviewer and have holidayed all over the world and I can honestly say this hotel was faultless.

Finally, meet the new addition to the Designer Travel team – ‘Bella from the Beach’, right.

This is the brilliant scarecrow my children made to join in with the Penketh Scarecrow Festival.

They are so proud of her and have loved people coming by our house to take pictures of her.

What a wonderful community we live in.

Angela is an award-winning travel agent with 25 years of experience and embarked on the journey of setting up her own business five years ago. The mum-of-two from Penketh, who was highly commended in our Warrington Guardian Customer Service Awards earlier this year, is available to answer your travel questions. You can get in touch by emailing newsdesk@guardiangrp.co.uk