Exclusive: ABTA cuts back costs in Orlando

DISAPPOINTING delegate numbers for next week’s ABTA Convention in Orlando have forced the association to reduce the programme to cut costs, Travel Weekly can reveal.

ABTA expects up to 1,600 delegates at the event – 200 short of its target of 1,800. At last year’s convention in Palma, 2,000 delegates attended.

An ABTA spokeswoman admitted it was hoping for more numbers. “We had hoped for a few more delegates. TUI UK was going to bring an aircraft full.”

The turnout has forced ABTA to ditch parts of the programme including motivational speaker Lawrence Lewton and the exclusive hour-long President’s Cocktail Party on the Friday night, which has always been an invitation-only event.

“There are enough ABTA events with the Council of Regions, Travel Industry Partners and the First Timers evenings,” the spokeswoman said.

An ABTA insider revealed the convention would struggle to make a profit despite cuts to the programme. It is believed ditching the President’s Cocktail Party has saved ABTA £5,000.

“It’s an effort to make sure it does not lose money, but the likelihood is it will,” the source said.

However, ABTA Convention organiser Keith Betton claimed the Orlando convention would break even.

“I was looking to save money as I had to reduce the cost of the event. People will not miss what has been dropped.

"It has been a tough year, so I didn’t think it was appropriate to have a motivational speaker.”

Lewton has been replaced by PricewaterhouseCoopers partner Malcolm Preston’s State of the Industry presentation. It will include findings from an ABTA/PWC industry poll.

Lewton has been rebooked for the 2005 Convention in Marrakesh.

Meanwhile, an ABTA board meeting this week discussed tightening up the payout system when a member collapses.

The association is concerned about fraudulent member claims and is “working on new ideas”.