29 September 2008

Advantage widens membership criteria to allow smaller agents

Advantage Travel Centres will open up its membership criteria to smaller independent agents from December 1.

It is developing a central system that will enable small agents to outsource their back office operations and supplier payments and will adopt a Ã¢â¬Åâœtrust account approachÃ¢â¬~ for agents who are not ABTA members.

But Advantage chief executive John McEwan assured existing members that the consortium would not be lowering the bar and that any new entrants would be rigorously scrutinised.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœFor example, they would not be able to use the Advantage name straight away until they had proved themselves,Ã¢â¬~ he explained.

He said the move would help Advantage retain its critical mass in a market that is getting smaller.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœWe have seen ABTA membership fall and we will see the size of the market shrink if we are not more broadminded.Ã¢â¬~

Advantage is also planning to help its members with dynamic packaging by holding a central ATOL.

It is currently in talks with the Civil Aviation Authority and hopes to make this available at the start of November.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœWe are not planning to launch an Advantage tour operator but if our members want to dynamically package, we have the resources available through our business partners to help them,Ã¢â¬~ he said.

By Bev Fearis