Agents voice concerns over CARTA chairman’s fee plans

Service charges

Agents voice concerns over CARTA chairman’s fee plans

Report by STEVE JONES

AGENTS have given a mixed reaction to controversial plans by Campaign for Real Travel Agents chairman Edwin Doran to charge £25 an hour to clients who do not make a booking.

Doran said the policy will sort out the time wasters and insisted his loyal clientele will accept the charge.

But while agents said the fee was justified, many are unlikely to follow suit.

Norman Hughes, a partner at CARTA member Travellers World in Salisbury, said: “Although there are justified reasons for it, I can see it being very problematic. Customers will be deterred from even discussing an itinerary if they realise they will have to pay a fee even if they don’t book.”

Ann Plews from Bromsgrove Travel, another CARTA member, added: “We are an Australian specialist so I can spend one or two hours with a client. Of course it’s frustrating when people don’t book but it doesn’t happen too often. I don’t think it would do us any good to charge.”

Bakers Dolphin managing director Kevin Abbey said the onus should be on agents to close the sale.

“If the quality of service and the prices are good enough, customers will book anyway,” he said.

“If someone comes to you and doesn’t book, I would suggest it is because the travel agent just hasn’t come up with the goods.”

Advantage president Roger Smith and managing director of EST Travel said only agents specialising in upmarket holidays could get away with introducing such a charge.

“Customers looking for a bucket-and-spade holiday don’t tend to waste your time as much,” he added.