Travel Counsellors has no intention of rejoining ABTA despite hopes by chairman John McEwan to lure the organisation back to the association.
McEwan told travelweekly.co.uk that he was hopeful some organisations – such as Travel Counsellors, which quit ABTA in 2005 – might consider rejoining as he announced more cruiselines are set to sign up as members.
But Travel Counsellors chairman David Speakman said the organisation had no plans either now or in the future to rejoin ABTA. “It’s not on our agenda, and it would take a lot to persuade us. We believe our financial protection is better than ABTA’s, and to rejoin would be a retrograde step.”
Speakman added that since leaving the association he had never been approached by chief executive Mark Tanzer to discuss rejoining the association.