The Aito Financial Protection Services scheme, for which Aito gained government approval on 1 November 2024, is a relaunch of the Aito Trust – the financial protection the association discontinued around a decade ago.
Chair Chris Rowles revealed approval had been granted at the Aito conference in Valladolid at the weekend. “It’s taken two years to get to the point [that] we can announce we will be providing financial protection for our members again in the future."
Rowles noted the new scheme was the first since the Aito Trust to be put forward for approved body status, which mean the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) "had no blueprint on how you went about this".
“This will be the start of the journey," Rowles continued. "Talking to our members, we know there is a host of insurance and financial protections you need to make your business successful.”
Martin Garland, owner of Aito member Expression Holidays, who spearheaded the two-year process, told TTG there were still some technical issues to finalise "in terms of how it works".
“We’ll keep working, it’s part of our strategic plan," he explained. "We’ve achieved DBT approval, but now it’s about putting the building blocks around it.”
Garland said the DBT and its assistant director, partnerships and international consumer policy, Craig Belsham, had been “great supporters” of Aito’s ambitions during the two-year process.
He added Aito had hoped to gain approval a year ago. "The election caused some delay, but also it’s priorities in minsters’ boxes," said Garland
Garland stressed the strategic importance of the scheme to Aito and its members. “I think it reinforces Aito is a home for SME tour operators, giving us the foundation to start building other tools members of looking for”.
He said the scheme gave Aito “a bit more credibility”. “If you’re talking regularly to the CAA about their reviews, it adds that little extra understanding. Same with the DBT – we’re now one of the parties they have to formally consult with.”
Garland said he anticipated relations between Aito members and Aito specialist travel agents getting stronger as a result of the scheme’s approval, giving those members who don’t sell through agents more confidence to do so and to take advance of Aito’s group of specialist agent members.
"Again, it’s a work in progress," he reiterated. “It just starts moving us on in terms of the range of things we can offer.”
Garland insisted the move to gain approval for Aito Financial Protected Services was not a “competitive one” with regards to Abta and Abtot, the latter being a fellow member of the UK Outbound Travel lobby group, along with the Advantage Travel Partnership.
“New businesses are regularly coming into the sector," he added. "If you’re a two-person £1 million business, you’re starting to take bonding and protection much more seriously. It’s just a natural progression."
