02 October 2009

ABTA Convention to welcome nearly 1,000 delegates

ABTA is expecting 962 delegates to arrive in Barcelona next week for The Travel Convention, which it hopes will offer useful advice on how to survive and prosper during the next 12 months.

Around one fifth of delegates attending ‘Opportunities in a Different World’ will be travel agents, around the same number as attended the Convention last year.

ABTA chief executive Mark Tanzer will start proceedings by outlining the challenges facing the industry, including financial protection, air passenger duty and the relationship with the banks.

Speakers during the week include TUI chief executive Peter Long, Carnival Corporation chairman and chief executive officer Micky Arison, Mark Hudson from PriceWaterhouse Coopers and Lord Lamont. There will be a strong focus on the cruise and luxury sectors, which have been significantly affected by the recession.

A session entitled Tourism 2023 will reveal various possible scenarios for the future of travel. The collaborative project between British Airways, Thomas Cook, The Co-op, Carnival, ABTA and Forum for the Future, will look at the impact of taxation and climate change.

To co-incide with the conference, ABTA is launching a ‘travel buddy’ service which it claims will enable agents to better communicate with their customers. A template email will have space for agents to give their customers information on the weather in their destination, Foreign Office advice and events, and have room for personal messages.

ABTA chairman John McEwan will provide the closing remarks.