Speaking to TTG during the 2026 Aito "famference" in Saas Fe, Switzerland, Sumners said operators' often close and long-standing on-the-ground relationships put them in the strongest position to advise agents and their clients as conflict and political developments continue to affect parts of the region.

"The best source of knowledge you will find with regards to any destination, let alone the Middle East, is the tour operators," he said. "They are working incredibly closely with the people on the ground. They know exactly what’s going on in the hotels, with activity providers and the DMCs they’re working with."

Sumners said the relationship between operators and agents had proved particularly valuable during periods of disruption, pointing to the pandemic as an example of the industry's ability to provide information more quickly than official channels.

"We still work very closely with the Foreign Office and often, when we had problems during the pandemic, we were able to supply them with information that they couldn't get because we were closer to what was going on," Sumners explained.

He added: "If operators don't know, they can find it out probably more easily than a travel agent can."

'I hope FCDO advice will hold – but you never know'

Asked whether the FCDO's decision to ease its travel advice for the region could bring greater stability to the industry, Sumners was reticent. "I would hope it will hold," he said. "But you can never account for something that might happen completely left-field."

The ongoing situation in the Middle East was one of the factors behind Aito’s decision to postpone holding its 50th anniversary overseas conference in Oman this year. The event will take place in Switzerland's Montreux instead, with Oman now planned for 2027 to maximise the opportunity for members to attend.

"In effect, what we’re doing is celebrating the 50th anniversary twice," said Sumners.

Although the Foreign Office did not at any stage advise against travel to Oman during the war in Iran, Sumners said general accessibility was still an important consideration, with connectivity impacted by the conflict. "We wanted to make sure that as many people as possible got the opportunity to experience Oman," Sumners said.

The Montreux conference over 26-28 November will adopt a slightly shorter format than originally planned, featuring one day of business sessions alongside networking opportunities and immersive experiences.

Sumners said Montreux offered strong accessibility, significant British cultural connections through icons like Freddie Mercury and Charlie Chaplin, and the added attraction of its "incredible" Christmas market.

'More ops than ever want access to our agents'

Alongside preparations for the anniversary celebrations, Aito is also recruiting after the departures of Head of Industry Affairs Christina Brazier and Head of Membership Emma Taylor earlier this month.

Sumners said Brazier had achieved her primary objective of helping Aito launch its new financial protection scheme before deciding to pursue a new opportunity. Taylor, he said, had helped grow membership across the association but had "decided she wanted a change".

Aito will replace both Brazier and Taylor, and is also recruiting for a new Membership Executive to provide additional administrative support. Sumners insisted membership growth remained a priority for the organisation, with more operators "than ever" interested in working with Aito's specialist agent community.

"If you've got more tour operators wanting to join and access our network, then you need more agents," he said.

'The CMA should focus on airlines, not agents'

Sumners was also critical of the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) increased focus on pricing transparency within the travel sector, arguing the industry had become an "easy target" for regulators. "The CMA will always go for low-hanging fruit because they think it's quite easy to enforce things," he said.

He suggested regulators pay more attention to airlines' ancillary charges. "You look at a flight and the price is £250 and by the time you get to the end, it's £500," he said. "I wish they would spend more time addressing those extras rather than worrying about a couple of euros of room tax."

The travel trade has plenty of "challenges" to overcome, Sumners conceded, including regulatory challenges like the CMA's new pricing guidance and the growing capabilities of artificial intelligence. But he believes technology will never fully replace the "expertise" and "knowledge" of travel agents.

"The industry has been debating 'the death of the high street' for 25 years now, and retail agents are still here," Sumners said. "They may have to work slightly differently, but I guarantee they'll be here in another 25 years too."