THE growing number of callcentres face escalating membership fees if ABTA’s plans to alter the subscriptions structure are approved.
Retailers currently pay a ú515 one-off fee and a further ú124 per branch, irrespective of how successful they are.
Under new plans being drawn up by ABTA, agents, like tour operators, will be required to pay a fee based purely on its turnover.
Chief executive Ian Reynolds said: “The importance of call centres and large offices is not recognised in the subscriptions. They may turn over millions but only pay the same as single, family-owned shop. There is a trend towards larger agencies such as call centres, and if we keep the current structure, we will start losing revenue.”
Smaller companies are likely to welcome the move as they would pay subscriptions based on the success of the business.
Figures haven’t been discussed but Reynolds said it was likely that agents would fork out less than the ú23 per ú100,000 of turnover currently paid by operators for anything over ú500,000
“Because agents turnover roughly three times that of operators it may be they pay three times less,” said Reynolds. ABTA is also seeking views on the creation a single-bond payment rather than continuing with separate bonds for agents and operators.
“The distinction is becoming blurred between agents and operators. In the last five years the number of agents holding Air Travel Organisers’ Licences has doubled,” he said.
“There is a lot of opportunity for simplification and it would cut back on administration costs.”