As delegates prepare for next week’s ABTA Travel Convention association president Justin Fleming has called for a consolidation of industry bodies into one powerful group.
Admitting ABTA “has punched well below its weight for many years”, Fleming said multiple subscriptions, dwindling membership and the demands various travel associations place on board members, is hampering progress.
He has called on ABTA, the Association of Independent Tour Operators, the Federation of Tour Operators, the Passenger Shipping Association and the Association of British Travel Organisers to France to form one super-association.
“We’ve got too many trade associations, I don’t think it is sustainable,” he said. “If we are to enable our industry to go forward then one overall body will be better than several.”
Fleming hopes to start discussions with the heads of the five associations in January with a blueprint for consolidation ready within six months.
He admitted the move would force disparate groups together but said one umbrella association with sub-sections serving different sectors could better meet members’ needs.
The suggestion has raised concerns of an end to effective specialist representation.
ABTOF chief executive Martyn Sumners said: “If the membership was asked to vote on it, the overwhelming majority would say no.”
FTO director-general Andy Cooper added: “Shoving together people with fundamental difference and concerns is not the way forward.”
However, Fleming warned not acting would be a mistake. “It won’t be without pain but there’s no gain without pain. There’s no perfect solution or we’d have it already,” he said.
Meanwhile, ABTA said almost 1,400 will attend its convention in Marbella – but just 250 of those will be agents. Head of corporate affairs Keith Betton said: “It reflects the changing relationship bet-ween agents and operators.”
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