ABTA members have challenged new president Martin
Wellings to rebuild the credibility of the beleaguered
organisation.
The trade has called for Wellings to spend his six-month term of
office transforming the association into a body which justifies its
existence after a string of embarrassing blows.
Kinver Travel owner Sue Foxall said: “Many agents ask
‘what does ABTA do for us?’ and at the moment ABTA
isn’t answering.”
Personal Service Travel director Martin Wellings beat Majestic
Travel owner Steven Freudmann to the interim presidency earlier
this week in the second round of voting.
Wellings has pledged to have more contact with members, improve
clarity on bonding issues and boost ABTA’s lobbying role.
However, members say he has his work cut out. ABTA’s
reputation has been severely damaged by allegations of fraud
against former legal chief Riccardo Nardi. A further blow came with
the resignation of president John Harding after the collapse of
Travelscene, and the subsequent revelation that Travelscene’s
subsidiary Citybedz.com was unbonded – despite many agents
believing bookings were protected.
Anthony Goord, proprietor of Plymouth-based Peter Goord Travel,
claimed ABTA’s profile, personal touch and communication with
members has lapsed. “You used to see the ABTA president on Wogan
– he was almost a celebrity. But ABTA’s lost that
profile. Even with clients, ABTA doesn’t seem to get as
involved with their complaints.”
Foxall accused ABTA of “talking down” to members. “It is not
user friendly at all,” she said. “Its attitude is all wrong.
Sometimes it has to be reminded it is here to work for us.”
Ian Thirlwall, managing director of Apartments Abroad, a former
rival to Citybedz, said: “If you can’t maintain credibility
as a consumer protection organisation then all other issues fall by
the wayside.”
Sunvil Holidays MD Noel Josephides echoed concerns about the
weakening of the organisation. “ABTA has to decide how to define
dynamic packaging, if it doesn’t it will see failure after
failure which will cost it money. So far it has been fudging the
issue.”
Wellings said it was “too strong” to say ABTA was facing a
crisis. “It has a strong image and any upset will tarnish it a bit.
We need to show we have taken these issues on board and be clear
about what we are doing.”
Ideas were mooted at a board meeting this week, with Wellings
promising to take action in time for the ABTA Convention in
November.
He said he had no plans to extend his presidency beyond the next
election in April. Freudmann said he would stay on the board for
the remainder of his two-year term.
Meanwhile, Tapestry Holidays MD Nick Wrightman replaces Wellings
as ABTA treasurer. Welling’s election also leaves a board
vacancy in band B for retailers with a turnover of between £10
million and £50 million. The nominations deadline is October
6.