| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 24/07/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 6 |
| Copyright: Other |
Bennett accuses independents of lining main players’ pockets
The Campaign For Real Travel Agents held its second annual conference in Maastricht. Liz Bird reports
OSPREY Holidays managing director John Bennett has hit out at independent agents for selling the products owned by the vertically integrated operators, claiming those that do are contributing to their eventual downfall.Speaking at the Campaign for Real Travel Agents’ conference in Maastricht, the former Association of Independent Tour Operators chairman said: “Why do agents keep booking holidays for Thomson, First Choice, Airtours and Cook? When did I ever go into a local Spar shop and find it selling Sainsbury’s washing powder?
“It annoys me because every time somebody books a Cresta or Simply Travel holiday they are putting money into the pockets of the parent company,” he added.
He recalled being booed off the stage by some Scottish agents after he suggested the same thing at a Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association dinner a few years ago.
“It breaks my heart when I hear we have lost a booking to a vertically integrated competitor,” added Bennett.
However, Airborn managing director Jeff Petar said he had decided to stop selling Bridge Travel holidays after hearing Bennett’s arguments.
While he did not stock any of the vertically integrated operators’ main brand brochures, he had sold some of the big companies’ specialist brands.
“We are just building the companies’ mailing lists – that is a fact.”
Petar said independent operator Travelscene could fill the gap left by Bridge.
However, other independent agents such as the The Travel Centre of Henley and Haslemere Travel said they would not follow Petar’s lead.
Haslemere Travel managing director Andrew Brownrigg said: “I think it is naïve. We cannot afford not to rack the vertically integrated operators.
“I have an upmarket clientele and a lot of our clients just want charter flights. We need the big tour operators for that because the AITO operators do not have the seat capacity.”
Stifled sales: Bennett said independent agents’ are endangering their business by selling products from vertically integrated companies