The over-50s specialist announced on Wednesday (19 January) it will work with fewer agents as travel begins to recover from the Covid crisis.

Lee Hunt, managing director of Woodbridge-based Deben Travel, said the agency would likely lose customers following the decision. "It’s just a huge kick in the teeth," Hunt told TTG.

"It feels like we’ve worked really hard for some operators, particularly through the pandemic with so many customers calling us and asking for support, and now they’re turning their back on us.

"I also think its very short-sighted from Saga as they’re not putting the customer at the heart of what they do – the typical Saga demographic want to come in and chat with someone, they want that advice, they want that assistance."

Kelly Cookes, Advantage Travel Partnership leisure director, said the move was all the more "disappointing" given Saga only started working with the trade in 2014. "It takes time to build those relationships," said Cookes. "Particularly at a time where we are seeing agents gain so many more new customers.

"It’s a shame this is the time they’ve decided to do it. We should all be working together. Agents invest a lot of time in bringing customers to a brand, and they do that in the hope that there’s longevity in the relationship." 

Cookes said Saga’s demographic, typically over-50s, would "appreciate someone there to support with the paperwork, which we know agents do brilliantly". "I think it’s a bit short-sighted given where we are at at the moment," Cookes continued. "Customers need more support than ever to travel at the moment and we need to give customers that support to help build back our industry."

Meanwhile, Donna Hunt, travel specialist from Your Holiday Booking, told TTG she was "absolutely disgusted" by Saga’s decision.

"I have introduced several high spending guests to Saga, rightly so they love the product and likely it would be a struggle for me to win back my client’s business, because I persuaded them that Saga was right for them," Hunt said.

Westoe Travel boss Graeme Brett added voice his dismay, writing on TTG’s Facebook page: "Very disappointing as they had some excellent tours with added value."

On Wednesday, Saga said it would "work with a smaller group of trade partners". All existing trade bookings will be honoured. A spokesperson confirmed to TTG the decision would affect agents selling both Saga’s cruise and holidays product, with a slightly greater skew towards those selling Saga holidays.

The firm, though, declined to comment on the overall extent to which it was scaling back its trade operation, which areas of the travel trade it would prioritise in future, and what effect the decision would have on its trade team.