Agent campaign group Target will meet with Abta next month to discuss how the association can help provide more tailored support for its trade members going forward.
Travel agencies hope their peaks business will ramp up on 11 and 12 January (Credit: iStock)
Target co-founders Graeme Brett of Westoe Travel and Jill Waite from Pole Travel will sit down with Abta in early December.
"So many things have changed in the way travel operates in the past two years, so we need to make sure that we as an industry are strong and Abta is able to represent its members in a new way to meet the changing needs," Brett told TTG.
"Abta has been very supportive of having these meetings to rejuvenate the way they represent and support members.
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Agent campaign group Target will meet with Abta next month to discuss how the association can help provide more tailored support for its trade members going forward.
Travel agencies hope their peaks business will ramp up on 11 and 12 January (Credit: iStock)
Target co-founders Graeme Brett of Westoe Travel and Jill Waite from Pole Travel will sit down with Abta in early December.
"So many things have changed in the way travel operates in the past two years, so we need to make sure that we as an industry are strong and Abta is able to represent its members in a new way to meet the changing needs," Brett told TTG.
"Abta has been very supportive of having these meetings to rejuvenate the way they represent and support members.
Brett said the talks would be a "fantastic opportunity" for agents to voice their opinions so the trade can "face any issues with Abta" and determine a way of working that will "help all of us".
"Different members have different needs depending on whether they’re a homeworker, a call centre, or a high street retail agent," Brett continued.
He added it was important agents and Abta were on the same page with regards to financial protection in a post-Thomas Cook and post-Covid trading environment.
"The CAA has changed a lot of rules and tightened up on Atol bonds, which has an impact on how agents pay operators," said Brett. "So there’s a lot of things that need to be looked at to see if they can be done better in order for Abta to improve its services for members moving forward."
Waite said it was more important than ever that independent agents were properly represented by Abta. "We are the biggest part of the membership," she said. "We have brought this up with Abta and they are willing to speak with us so we’re going with it.
"If anybody’s interested in getting involved, or want anything raising in the meetings, then please get in touch and send it through to us."
An Abta spokesperson said: "We engage with members through lots of different ways and are pleased to work with Jill and Graeme alongside a wider team of independent travel agents, on how Abta can continue to support and engage travel agents.
"We look forward to meeting with all the independent travel agents in December, which will be the start of our work together on this project."
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