FEWER meetings and less bureaucracy would attract senior industry figures into the association, ABTAchief executive Ian Reynolds said.
“Companies used to have external relations staff who would become involved in ABTA but such positions have largely disappeared,” he said.
“People today do not have the discretionary time to attend all the meetings. By cutting back we hope more senior figures would be persuaded to get involved.”
At the moment, members of Tour Operators’ Council and Travel Agents’ Council that are also on the Board of Directors have to attend two sets of meetings. Each council and the board meets six or seven times a year.
Reynolds also claimed other industry bodies such as Global Travel Group and the Travel Trust Association should not rival, but complement ABTA. “There are some 2,500 non-ABTA agents,” said Reynolds. “I don’t see why agents should not start with these other bodies and as they become larger, join ABTA as well.”