ITT chairman seeks to avoid more controversy
Institute of Travel and Tourism chairman and former ABTA director Steven Freudmann has sought to distance himself from Travel Club of Upminster today following reports in the trade press that the operator was seeking to sell off its assets.
Reports in the media suggested Travel Club was bought a year ago by Freudmann’s company Alpha Prospects, which looks to acquire independent tour operators. However, Freudmann insisted today that although his brother Tony is one of three directors at Travel Club, the operator has ‘nothing to do with Alpha’.
Steven Freudmann admitted Alpha had an option to buy Travel Club last year, but he says the purchase never went ahead.
"Alpha had an option to buy it but we didn’t," he said. "My brother is a director at Travel Club, but Alpha doesn’t have any connection to it."
Tony Freudmann was unavailable for comment.
Steven Freudmann was forced to resign from ABTA last year following the collapse of Alpha-owned Unpackaged Holidays and the subsequent sale of its wholly-owned subsidiary Seligo to Travel Club, owned by his brother.
The sale meant accommodation-only operator Seligo, of which Tony Freudmann was also director, could carry on trading without needing to repay its unsecured debts.
By Linsey McNeill
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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