Travel business hoping for early announcement on referendum date

Travel agents are hoping the EU membership referendum will be held before the busy Easter period, to cause as little disruption as possible to their business.

The only uncertainty remaining after that would be the date of the general election, which they fear would also stop people travelling.

Mondial Holidays managing director Martin Degiorgio said yesterday that Mondial had still not published its winter brochure in the hope that the referendum date would have been announced by now. Mondial does not plan to organise any tours during the campaign period.

Paul Testa Travel Agency said they were currently advertising one tour in February and another two in March. However, Mr Testa said that although there had been requests for information, holidaymakers were still holding back from actually booking.

Hamilton Travel, on the other hand, said the uncertainty over the referendum date had not affected bookings for shopping trips to Dubai.

But all three travel agents agreed that a referendum or election during the summer would ruin the whole season.

They said that the best time for a referendum to be held would be before Easter - not just for travel agencies but for all businesses.

Norman Hamilton said the industry would be worst affected if a referendum or election were held between June and September.

Fortunately, Mr Degiorgio said, there were not many people who took their holidays in March, which is being mooted as the most likely month for the referendum to be held.

However, Mondial would offer customers the option to postpone or cancel their tour if it coincided with the referendum date.

Mr Testa said people would still book tours in March but would probably want to be guaranteed a refund if their holiday coincided with the referendum or election.

But all three agree that the sooner the date is known, the better.