Triton conference organisers remain confident they will attract enough delegates despite the fact hardly any Advantage members have registered to attend.
Although more than 300 delegates have signed up for next month’s conference in Palma in Majorca, fewer than 10 are Advantage members.
The target is 450 delegates from Triton members Global, Worldchoice and Advantage. Last year saw 800 attendees.
Triton chairman Colin Heal admitted registrations from Advantage had been “very low” and blamed the fact the consortium is holding its own business and leisure conference later this year.
The Triton conference could break even or at worst make a “small loss” if numbers reach 425, he said.
Advantage commercial director Julia Lo Bue-Said said: “The numbers are poor. We have not deterred any agents; it’s up to individual members as to whether it’s relevant for them to go and if they can afford the time.”
The consortium has adopted a ‘wait and see’ approach on whether to send head office staff, depending on how many members register.
Advantage remains a Triton member but withdrew from merger talks with fellow members in May last year. Since then, Worldchoice has decided to pursue a merger with the Travel Trust Association.
Advantage agent Steve Campion, managing director of the Holiday Discount Centre in Newcastle Upon Tyne, is not attending the conference.
He said: “Most members can only afford time to go to one conference. And with Stella buying Global, and TTA in talks with Worldchoice, whose conference is it?”
Conference delegate packs were only sent out last month, but a Worldchoice spokeswoman said a rush of last-minute registrations was anticipated.
Speakers include former Conservative MP Michael Portillo and Stella Travel Services boss Keith Stanley.