The Federation of Tour Operators has rejected proposals by Ashotel to adopt its new code of conduct governing overbooking in the Canaries.
The Tenerife-based hotel association, which represents hoteliers in Tenerife, La Palma and La Gomera, wants all operators to agree to the code of conduct which also governs issues such as contracting and health and safety.
However, JMC purchasing director Hugh Morgan said it had no input in the agreement and wouldn’t consent to it even if it were legally possible.
“Even though our name is on the bottom of it, we have no part of it,” he said.
According to Morgan, the 41 clauses contained in JMC contracts with hoteliers already deal with such issues, making Ashotel’s proposals redundant.
In addition, JMC and other major UKoperators work under British law and any such agreement, which would fall under Spanish law, would breach that. FTOsecretary-general Alan Flook said the intentions of Ashotel were good, but misguided.
“It’s a very well meaning idea but it has a fundamental flaw, and that is: associations don’t enter into contracts.”
Ashotel was unavailable for comment as Travel Weekly went to press.