PEOPLE in glass houses should not throw stones!
I refer to the letter from the manager of Lunn Poly in Newbury (Travel Weekly November 22) and would like to point out that Meadway Travel was merely following up leads, obtained through the Aussie specialist scheme, from the Australian Tourist Commission – a practise employed by Lunn Poly until fairly recently!
Perhaps the gentleman in question was not employed by Lunn Poly when it also subscribed to the ATC for lists of clients that have expressed a desire to visit Down Under.
Maybe he should also have made it clear to the ATCthat he was a travel agent, instead of posing as a member of the travelling public to receive literature.
Unlike Lunn Poly, a holiday shop operating within a strict merchandising policy governing the tour operators’ products that may be sold, Meadway Travel is an ABTA and International Air Transport Association travel agent that offers impartial advice to all our customers.
We are able to provide a range of services that is not covered by the limited selection on offer in the Lunn Poly Holiday Shops and we are not bound by a parent company to steer towards its own product, sometimes to the exclusion of all else.
I apologise if the gentleman felt insulted by my wife’s comments regarding the ability of his staff to sell this very specialised product.
She was merely referring to the limited options that are open to the public when booking a holiday with one of the large vertically integrated holiday outlets.
As a fiercely independent travel agent, with our own resident Aussie specialist- and I am surprised that after all his years specialising in Australia that the gentleman is not familiar with this term – I make no apologies for attempting to secure every booking possible.
I am sorry he feels aggrieved at the approach made by Meadway Travel, but can assure him that several hundred satisfied clients are very glad we did contact them.
Maurice ABuck
Managing director
Meadway Travel Ltd
Reading