TRAVELSAVERS has pulled out of the Independent Travel
Agents Alliance.
The 50-strong marketing group joined the organisation in 2003
alongside Worldchoice, Travel Trust Association and Midconsort. But
Travelsavers managing director Dominic Burke said the alliance had
reached a state of “total inertia” and failed to come
up with any advantageous commercial deals.
“After more than a year of meetings members were not
benefiting from our ITAA membership,” he said.
Burke added its ITAA membership also hindered plans to recruit new
members as recruiting from rivals was off-limits. “This was a
major stumbling block for Travelsavers,” he said.
Midconsort chief executive Charles Eftichiou said
Travelsavers’ departure was not surprising.
He added both Travelsavers and the TTA had found it difficult as
they were a different style of business to the member-owned and run
Worldchoice and Midconsort.
“Midconsort and Worldchoice have gone from strength to
strength but there has always been some question over common ground
because of the different business models,” said
Eftichiou.
Worldchoice chairman Colin Heal said negotiations with Travelsavers
had struggled since Burke’s predecessor Ken McLeod left the
company in October 2003. He said the departure would make little
impact as it was a “relatively small” organisation and
no deals had been struck.
Heal added business continues with Midconsort and new joint
technology tracking and staff incentive schemes would be launched
by the end of February.