19 November 2008

ABTA to relocate

ABTA will move to new offices in central London at the end of January.

The move follows the merger of the association with the Federation of Tour Operators in July.

It has signed a lease agreement on new premises at 30 Park Street, close to London Bridge and Waterloo stations.

All staff currently based at 68-71 Newman Street, and Graphic House in HaywardÃ¢â¬â¢s Heath, will move to the new offices.

The new office is designed to accommodate 72 staff in an open plan environment on one floor in a bid to facilitate more effective communication.

ABTA says the move will improve ABTAÃ¢â¬â¢s service to members and will significantly reduce overheads in the long term.

Chief executive Mark Tanzer said: Ã¢â¬ÅâœThe move to Park Street will be a real step forward for ABTA as we move into a more streamlined and digital age, much better able to serve the industry of today and tomorrow.

"We will have less paper, be a more sustainable office, and the move with FTO will cement a one team ethos throughout the association.Ã¢â¬~

ABTA has been in its current premises in Newman Street since 1997 and FTO has been in HaywardÃ¢â¬â¢s Heath for five years.

ABTA will have new telephone numbers in Park Street, and will widely publicise those new numbers when they are allocated.

By Bev Fearis