ABTA chief executive Mark Tanzer invited members to visit Newman Street to see for themselves what the association does, following criticism from delegates.
Tanzer made the invitation during a lively debate in which ABTA was accused of being bureaucratic, wasting money and not understanding members’ needs.
Travel Counsellors chairman and former ABTA member David Speakman was first to stick the knife in claiming more agents will follow his decision to leave the association because it was too expensive and of dwindling relevance.
He said: “Tour operators have taken over the board of directors and independent agents are being outvoted.”
Pole Travel manager Jill Waite said: “ABTA is still employing lots of people who don’t have a clue what I do. They don’t seem to be doing much at all.”
Low Cost Group chief executive Paul Evans accused ABTA of being too bureaucratic. “Some of the paperwork from ABTA is unnecessary – people checking whether I have got insurance. I can do that myself.
“There is too much bureaucracy within ABTA. I think you should look at which aspects are adding value to members and which are more of a hindrance than a help.”
Tanzer defended the association telling delegates: “We can stop adding services if that’s what members want. We listen to members and we give them the services they want. We’re not perfect, but I don’t think we have to cut any fat.”
He added: “You’re all welcome to come and see the work we do at ABTA.”
What they’re saying
“Nobody understands the rules. If you asked most people running travel businesses to explain the travel regulations, they couldn’t. When I set up my company, I knew nothing and I still don’t know enough.”
Paul Evans, chief executive, Low Cost Group
“This is the age of the good travel agent. Therefore, ABTA needs to be more relevant to agents.”
David Speakman, chairman, Travel Counsellors
“Many consumers are travelling without protection. Either they don’t value it or want it, or more worryingly, they think
they are protected and they’re not.”
Mark Tanzer, chief executive, ABTA
“I’ve been to the headquarters in Rochdale once. I don’t know why I was there, but I did think ‘How can they afford that?’”
Dermot Blastland, managing director, First Choice mainstream holidays on MyTravel
“We provide bonding to protect principals because it enables agents to deal with operators without any financial checks.”
Justin Fleming, president, ABTA, defending the fact ABTA still provides operator bonding