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Balkan Holidays extends flexible policy for agents
Balkan Holidays has extended its flexible booking policy for agents.
The operator recently extended its policy to enable clients travelling in June to cancel up to four weeks before departure, without paying normal cancellation fees, although they will still lose their deposit.
But the policy did not originally apply to bookings made through agents.
Balkan Holidays says updated advice from ABTA means it can now offer the four-week balance payment terms to travel agents for May and June 2020 departures.
A spokesman from Balkan Holidays said, “It was always our intention to offer excellent flexible payment terms to travel agents, and we welcome the update from ABTA regarding Pipeline Protection, which makes this possible.”
In addition, for existing and new bookings made by April 30, agents will have up to 14 days before travel to postpone bookings free of charge. This applies to holidays in May and June 2020.
The spokesman added: “We trust that these measures reassure all agents of our commitment to them at this critical time. We wish to pull together and act as one, in the hope of future success and prosperity. We are thinking of all our trade colleagues at this time.
“We thank agents for their feedback and support in the last few days and look forward to seeing everyone face-to-face very soon. If there is anything we can assist with in any way, please contact your Regional Sales Manager or email [email protected].”
The operator emphasised it remains ‘100% committed to the trade at all times’, adding, ‘our ‘on the road’ and support teams work extremely hard to train, help and advise agents’.
All Balkan Holidays staff are set up and working proficiently from home, and ‘opening hours’ remain the same. A dedicated trade Facebook page is monitored round the clock.
A new online training programme will be launched next month, ahead of schedule. News of agent incentives and fam trips will be announced as soon as possible.
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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