Tropical Sky quits ABTA
Luxury tour operator Tropical Sky has resigned from ABTA.
It said as a direct-sell long haul tour operator, ABTA is "no longer relevant for a predominantly ATOL principal nor provides value in return for the substantial subscription and membership costs".
Managing director Mike Collins said: "We have enjoyed a good relationship with ABTA for a number of years but have questioned its relevance for a predominantly ATOL covered business.
"We hold a full ATOL license, which provides our packaged customers with financial protection. Our ABTA Membership did not involve any customer protection at all – simply a good and credible consumer recognised badge.
"In recent years, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has achieved a greater awareness of ATOL and we have found that this is the badge customers are now looking for, rather than ABTA, whom most now understand does not provide protection for flight related holidays. The annual costs do not equate to the value that the ABTA logo provides."
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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