The Advantage Travel Group has been confirmed as the latest Atol Accredited Body by the Civil Aviation Authority.
The status has been confirmed by the CAA after the group was deemed to have met the necessary criteria under new rules brought in in April.
The Advantage Travel Group relates to agency consortium Advantage Travel Centre’s managed service arm of which there are 12 travel agent members currently.
Accredited Body status means they will be able to sell Atol protected holidays under the group’s umbrella licence without the need for their own individual Atol.
Andy Cohen, CAA head of Atol, said: “Accredited Bodies act as another method for travel organisers to ensure the holidays they sell are covered by the Atol scheme, protecting consumers and benefitting firms, so I would like to thank Advantage for their close cooperation during this process.”
John McEwan, chief executive of Advantage Travel Centres, said: “We are delighted to have gained Accredited Body status as an Atol capability completes the offering of our managed services arm AMS.
“It will enable current and potential members to thrive in the modern travel agent environment. AMS has been a great success since its inception in 2009 and the development of an Atol capability will ensure that its offering continues to be at the forefront of the managed service arena.”
For the remainder of Advantage’s 800 members the consortium is working with trade association Abta on a joint-licencing scheme.