CSS Group predicts travel boom

Fareham-based CSS Group expects that the next few months will see more and more travel businesses return and predicts a travel boom in 2022.

“The Covid-19 crisis for businesses has seriously damaged the travel retail market,” said Frank Welkerling, CEO at CSS, which provides food, drink and consumables to the travel industry. “But people are looking to the sun and travel again – it offers a piece of essential freedom and adventure to break out of everyday life at work. We are facing a huge comeback in the travel retail industry and the future will be successful.”

He added: “Based on our good financial situation and our area-wide travel retail activities, we still have enough business to handle our operations successfully. We have been able to supply our clients 24/7/365 during the whole pandemic and will continue to do so in the future.”

Welkerling said CSS has been preparing for the future with a £7 million investment in a new HQ and reconstructed warehouse, with over 5,400 pallet spaces.

“The main challenges for most of the companies are the uncertainty on dates for re-opening but we can see already that the cruise industry is unstoppably on the way back and other travel retail segments will follow soon,” said Welkerling, who also pointed to Southampton’s nearly-complete new cruise terminal and approval for the city’s airport to extend its runway as further signs of a strengthening in the region’s travel sector.