| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 17/04/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 2 |
| Copyright: Other |
Agent fury at high cost of ABTA celebrations
A Preston-based travel agent has attacked ABTAfor charging £160 a ticket for its 50th anniversary ball and holding it in London.Antony Crossthwaite, director of the Ashton Travel Centre in Preston, berated the organisation for ignoring agents in the north of England.
“If ABTA wants to open up these celebrations to the grassroots of the industry, then they are never going to achieve that by charging £160 a ticket. ABTA should remember and consider northern outposts instead of centralising things on London,” he said, addingthat £160 was some people’s total weekly wage.
An ABTA spokesman said:”This is a one-off ball to commemorate the 50th anniversary and we are holding at least five other events around the country; in Huddersfield, Manchester, Bristol and Edinburgh, which will be infinitely cheaper.”
The 50th BirthdayBall is at the Grosvenor House, London on July 6. See Letters page 8