Travel professionals would like to see fellow agents who don’t show up to events to be blacklisted – and possibly even fined, a poll by TTG has found.
Some 63% of advisors believe suppliers should “absolutely” blacklist someone for missing an event without an excuse, while 20% said it “depends” on the circumstances.
The update comes amid increasing debates around agent no-shows at events, with Princess Cruises's Sales Director Yasmin McKechnie recently admitting the line oversells its ship visits “to compensate for drop-outs.”
It also comes amid a turbulent time for the sector, with travel bosses recently voicing concern over the Iran war’s impact on the market, while agents report an “unexpected” surge in July trading following a slower-than-normal spring.
TTG's survey asked readers: “Is it fair for a supplier to blacklist no-shows to their events?”, with several suggesting suppliers should go further and even issue fines in some cases.
“It takes nothing to send a message even if you’re ill. No-showing is rude,” Travel Counsellor Karen Thornton told TTG, a sentiment echoed by Duncan Greenfield-Turk, founder of Global Travel Moments.
“It really infuriates me when someone says yes and then no-shows,” he said. “Commitment is commitment.”
Sarah White, founder of Wanderlux Luxury Travel, agreed that it’s fair to blacklist a guest “if they don’t give notice or a valid reason.”
She added that she personally “hates feeling like I’ve let people down,” noting a recent situation in which she cancelled a fam trip due to family illness. “I don’t know why so many agents do it.”
Another respondent added that while a one-off absence can be overlooked, “repeat offending” warrants a permanent ban.
Though the practice of financially penalising no-shows remains uncommon, some operators have begun fining people for absenteeism in recent years.
ILTM [International Luxury Travel Market] added a mandatory, non-refundable registration fee for buyers following the pandemic, while the US-based trade show Travel South USA has started charging agents the cost of their flights and hotel stay if they fail to give enough notice.
A number of respondents attribute the prevalence of no-shows to a lack of understanding for the event planning process.
“People often underestimate just how much happens before an event even begins,” Carly Reed, founder of Reed PR, told TTG.
“It starts with drawing up and agreeing on the target guest list with the client, followed by invitations, RSVP management, catering numbers and detailed face sheets so everyone involved knows exactly who's expected to attend. Whether someone doesn’t turn up or has to cancel at the last minute, the impact is often the same because so much has already been organised.”
Greenfield-Turk agreed that there needs to be more appreciation for the work involved in running events.
Duncan Greenfield-Turk believes many agents don't understand the effort that goes into running events
“I feel there is not always enough respect or understanding of what suppliers go through,” he said. “It’s often a misalignment of KPI understanding.”
One luxury operator told TTG that it’s recently introduced a no-show charge after realising the financial impact of absenteeism.
“It’s quite a big cost,” they admitted. “After we’d had a few no-shows at one event, we implemented a rule that if you don’t let us know within 48 hours, it’s a £20 charge. It’s very rare we have to do this though.”
Meanwhile, Reed PR operates a “three-strikes-and-you’re-out” approach to no-shows.
“If someone repeatedly accepts invitations and then either pulls out late or simply doesn't attend, I do think there comes a point where you stop inviting them,” said Reed. “Ultimately, it inevitably reflects on us as an agency. Our clients trust us to build the right guest list and deliver the very best event possible, so when confirmed guests don't attend, it inevitably raises questions.”
Carly Reed has a 'three-strikes-and-you're-out' approach to no-shows
She also emphasised, however, that hosts need to be understanding of people’s changing circumstances.
“There always has to be room for common sense. We recently held an event on the hottest day of the year and almost two-thirds of the guest list couldn't make it. Nobody could have predicted that, and genuine circumstances should never be held against anyone.”
Greenfield-Turk agreed, though added that even if the host charges a guest for not attending, it’s only courtesy to notify them beforehand.
“I do believe there are genuine reasons you cannot attend but communicate this,” he urged. “I forfeited my attendance at ILTM Africa last year as I had knee surgery. Did I get a refund? No. But did I still tell them I could not make it? Absolutely.”
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