Travel Counsellors to leave ABTA – TravelMole exclusive
Home working travel agency Travel Counsellors has decided not to renew its ABTA membership next year.
The company is to withdraw from the association when its membership renewal is due on May 31 next year.
Founder and chairman David Speakman has written to suppliers explaining the decision and told Travelmole he felt ABTA bonding was “flawed”.
Travel Counsellors has already established its own trust fund to protect customers’ money and offer financial backing to the operators it deals with and therefore doies not require ABTA bonding.
Mr Speakman, confirming the move, told Travelmole: “We now have a trust which gives total financial protection to customers. ABTA bonding has been flawed as was highlighted with the Travelscene debacle earlier this year.”
He added: “It’s no longer relevant to us. It has done a good job in the past and I was on Travel Agents Council for some time but it has lost its way and people I speak to also think it’s lost its way.
“The way we hear things, there are a lot of people ready to leave. Our decision may make others think about leaving.”
Mr Speakman denied that the reason to withdraw was financial, athough the company will save money it current pays as part of its ABTA membership.
Travel Counsellors has been an ABTA member since 1989 and Mr Speakman’s previous retail businesses were members from 1978.
Report by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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