ADVANTAGE agents which signed for the franchise and aligned themselves with Airtours should be allowed to remain as members of the Campaign for Real Travel Agents, its chairman has said.
Chris Kirker said he was assured by Advantage commercial director Neil Armorgie that no agent will be barred from selling and promoting operators within the Association of Independent Tour Operators-backed CARTA scheme.
A handful of the 100 agents who belong to both organisations are believed to have signed for the franchise. “I see no reason why they should not be permitted to remain in CARTA,” said Kirker. “If agents had to achieve certain sales targets for Airtours it would have been different.”
However, Kirker is likely to face objections to the recommendation, particularly as it appears to contradict a principal membership criteria of CARTA – that retailers be independent of mainstream tour operating companies.
CARTA retailer and panel member Carolyn Lodge said: “They cannot be described as independent when they are tied with Airtours.”
The panel will discuss the issue next month.
Meanwhile, Kirker confirmed that CARTA will hold its first conference this year. It will take place in Gibraltar in June.
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