Agents rally round Thomas Cook
Agents have pledged their support for Thomas Cook as the company continues to hit the headlines over its financial troubles.
Advantage Travel Centres leisure director Julia Lobue-Said accused the media of over playing the situation and said she remained confident in selling Thomas Cook holidays.
“We have absolutely no concerns as to what we’re selling and are still recommending selling Thomas Cook products,” she said.
She said Advantage was not concerned by the decision by insurance underwriter Northern & Western Insurance Company to temporarily suspend its supplier failure insurance on Thomas Cook flight-only and accommodation-only sales.
“This only applies to a small handful of our members who sell ATOL to ATOL. The vast majority of Thomas Cook products are ATOL protected,” she said.
She said over-hyped media coverage of Thomas Cook’s financial situation had further damaged the industry’s reputation.
“Not in the trade press, but certainly in the consumer press they always want a horror story. It’s not great for the industry, not for the economy and not for the consumer. It doesn’t give the consumer any guidance,” she said.
“We aleady have low consumer confidence and this will not help. As an industry we are used to dealing with difficultities and it’s a great shame that this has made the headlines.”
IPP, the industry’s other major insurance underwriter, has not withdrawn cover on Thomas Cook or Thomas Cook Airlines.
“Other Insurers may have overreacted to the recent press reports due to their lack of experience in the travel industry,” said a spokesman.
* What do you think of the media coverage of Thomas Cook’s financial situation? Do you think it has been over hyped? Has it damaged the reputation of the whole industry? Who is to blame?
Send us your views by clicking on ADD A COMMENT below.
by Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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