I FEEL compelled to write the following letter. Two weeks ago, I gave the Australian Tourist Commission my name and address in the process of requesting information on behalf of a customer.
I promptly received the literature which was of much use, but one week later to my shock, I received a letter from a competitor offering to book my flights, car hire, accommodation and insurance.
At no point did I authorise my name and address to be passed to another travel company other than the ATC. When I called the agent in question, Meadway Travel in Tilehurst, Reading, to ask where they got my address I was told it was from the ATC. I then informed the agent I was a manager for Lunn Poly and was obtaining information on behalf of a customer. She replied Lunn Poly’s staff neither have the expertise or knowledge to sell such a complicated itinerary as Australia. As I’ve spent a length of time specialising in Australia and three of my staff travel there personally, I can assure her we do.
In the wake of so much publicity about agents not offering impartial information to customers, I do my best to ensure my customers are well informed. However, when tourist offices are passing names and addresses to my competitors, I wonder why.
A Lunn Poly manager
n Travel Weekly would welcome a response from Meadway Travel and the ATC.