ABTA can end agents’ direct selling tactics

ABTA can end agents’ direct selling tactics

Agents complain on a daily basis about operators that print their direct sale telephone numbers on the brochures and operators defend their right to use such tactics.

For a short-term gain, operators resort to underhand tactics then complain relations aren’t how they used to be.

Agents should insist that ABTA take action against offending operators.

ABTA agents pay bonds into the ABTA Travel Agents Fund. This then pays operators that have suffered a loss when an ABTA member goes bust.

Millions are paid each year to operator members but these payments are discretionary.

Conditions can be placed on the operators who benefit from this fund so operators who practice marketing ploys that undermine the agent should be prevented from benefiting.

Even ABTA’s chief executive believes more operators are taking direct bookings.

Surely this affects the viability of the agent and ABTA needs to rethink the validity of the fund.

David Speakman

Managing director

Travel Counsellors