Richard Slater, chair of the Abta northwest region, has been appointed to the association’s board of directors.
He is the managing director of Henbury Travel, an agency based in Macclesfield, and was selected by the other Abta regional chairs to be put forward for the board.
His appointment brings additional retail travel agency experience to the board, alongside Daniele Broccoli (Typically Holidays), who currently holds the board position elected by members with retail turnover of less than £20 million.
The appointment of Slater will take effect from the Abta AGM on September 21 and will be for an initial term of two years.
We are excited to announce that Richard Slater, Chair of ABTA North West, has been appointed to the ABTA Board of Directors. Richard’s extensive experience in the high street travel agency market & his dedication to fellow ABTA members make him an excellent addition to the board. pic.twitter.com/3XqmEqje2X
— ABTA Members (@ABTAMembers) June 29, 2023
Alistair Rowland, Abta chairman, said: “Richard has been Abta regional chair for the northwest since 2019 and over that time has been a tireless advocate for his fellow Abta members.
“During the pandemic, Richard was a regular presence on both local and national TV and radio, making the case for high street retailers as well as providing informed and articulate comment for the national media.
“Richard’s experience and expertise will be invaluable for his fellow board members, and I am delighted to welcome him to the team.”
Slater added: “I am delighted and honoured that my fellow Abta regional chairs have selected me to be their representative on the Abta board of directors.
“I look forward to working with the other directors and hope that my experience of and commitment to the high street travel agency market helps in the development of the future strategy of our association.”
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Jill Waite and Graeme Brett, founders of Travel Agents Reform Group Engaged Together (Target), welcomed Slater’s appointment.
Brett (Westoe Travel) said: “This is certainly a huge step in the right direction. It is not exactly what we asked for but it is a huge victory for travel agents.
“Thank you to all of the Abta travel agent members who campaigned with Target for this. We wanted directly elected travel agents but Richard Slater certainly fits the bill for the type of person we wanted to represent travel agents.”
Waite (Pole Travel) added: “There is no doubt that without the campaign from Target to get more travel agents elected to the Abta board, then this would not have happened.
“We wanted at least two travel agents to be directly elected to the board to represent travel agents with turnover under £2 million and under £5 million, as these are the groups that cover the majority of Abta travel agent members.
“We hope that the Abta board will see the benefit of having Richard Slater on the board, joining Daniele Broccoli, and that in the very near future we will see the Abta board continue to reform with travel agents being represented by more fully elected members on the board.
“This is not the end of the campaign for greater representation on the Abta board but the first step on the road to reform.”
Abta said nominations are invited for election to other positions on the board in the following membership categories: Retail business less than £20,000,000; Principal business less than £50,000,000; and Principal business not less than £50,000,000.
Nominations are also invited for election to the Council of the Regions in the following regions: Eastern, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Southern, South Wales, and Yorkshire & North Midlands.
Details on the nomination process are on the members’ section of the Abta website.