Co-op Travel chief renews call for ABTA and FTO to join forces
Co-operative Travel’s chief operating officer has called on individuals within ABTA and the FTO to put their “own agendas” aside and come together to create one industry body.
Mike Greenacre said he supports the view already expressed by TUI Travel’s UK managing director Dermot Blastland over the failure of ABTA and the Federation of Tour Operators to work hand in hand as a new organisation.
“I have a lot of sympathy with Dermot’s comments and it is extremely disappointing that ABTA and the FTO were not able to work out a plan to be able to accommodate each others’ views in a new joint structure,” he said.
“I am a new Main Board director with ABTA and it is possible I may not have fully understood some of the issues and positioning of individuals
“I must say, however, that I believe there is a strong case for having one single body to represent the industry with one voice against an ever-increasing trend of legislation and directives from the EU.
“In my view both ABTA and the FTO have been less than effective on a number of issues when it comes to representing the industry, particularly in front of government and on behalf of the consumer.
“I suspect that some aspects of this decision are more to do with individuals’ own agendas than the need to come together to create one representative voice on behalf of the industry. I hope there can be a rethink and I will press hard to try to influence that.”
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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