ABTA
has been branded insensitive after hiking agents’ membership fees while
awarding pay rises to staff.
Retailers
are furious that Newman Street agreed the moves during a torrid time of jobs
cuts, pay freezes and general uncertainty across the industry. Confidential
information leaked to Travel Weekly revealed rises of between 2% and 4% have
been awarded to staff and membership fees increased by 3%.
John
Spicer, from Llandudno-based Spicer Travel Bureau, said: “The timing is
dreadful. I understand rises are necessary sometimes but why do it now? They
should have waited until this time next year when, hopefully, everything will
have settled down.”
ABTA,
which is furious the information was leaked, declined to comment specifically
on the pay increases.
Chief
executive Ian Reynolds would only say: “We are exposed to the same inflationary
pressures and have the same costs of living as other trade bodies.”
A
memo circulated to board members – which stressed the sensitivity of the
situation – was thought to be a veiled request not to comment. A spokesman said
it was the first increase in membership fees for six years.