News & Analysis

ABTA members have challenged new president Martin Wellings to rebuild the credibility of the beleaguered organisation.

The trade has called for Wellings to spend his six-month term of office transforming the association into a body which justifies its existence after a string of embarrassing blows.

Kinver Travel owner Sue Foxall said: "Many agents ask ‘what does ABTA do for us?’ and at the moment ABTA isn’t answering."

Personal Service Travel director Martin Wellings beat Majestic Travel owner Steven Freudmann to the interim presidency earlier this week in the second round of voting.

Wellings has pledged to have more contact with members, improve clarity on bonding issues and boost ABTA’s lobbying role.

However, members say he has his work cut out. ABTA’s reputation has been severely damaged by allegations of fraud against former legal chief Riccardo Nardi. A further blow came with the resignation of president John Harding after the collapse of Travelscene, and the subsequent revelation that Travelscene’s subsidiary Citybedz.com was unbonded – despite many agents believing bookings were protected.

Anthony Goord, proprietor of Plymouth-based Peter Goord Travel, claimed ABTA’s profile, personal touch and communication with members has lapsed. "You used to see the ABTA president on Wogan – he was almost a celebrity. But ABTA’s lost that profile. Even with clients, ABTA doesn’t seem to get as involved with their complaints."

Foxall accused ABTA of "talking down" to members. "It is not user friendly at all," she said. "Its attitude is all wrong. Sometimes it has to be reminded it is here to work for us."

Ian Thirlwall, managing director of Apartments Abroad, a former rival to Citybedz, said: "If you can’t maintain credibility as a consumer protection organisation then all other issues fall by the wayside."

Sunvil Holidays MD Noel Josephides echoed concerns about the weakening of the organisation. "ABTA has to decide how to define dynamic packaging, if it doesn’t it will see failure after failure which will cost it money. So far it has been fudging the issue."

Wellings said it was "too strong" to say ABTA was facing a crisis. "It has a strong image and any upset will tarnish it a bit. We need to show we have taken these issues on board and be clear about what we are doing."

Ideas were mooted at a board meeting this week, with Wellings promising to take action in time for the ABTA Convention in November.

He said he had no plans to extend his presidency beyond the next election in April. Freudmann said he would stay on the board for the remainder of his two-year term.

Meanwhile, Tapestry Holidays MD Nick Wrightman replaces Wellings as ABTA treasurer. Welling’s election also leaves a board vacancy in band B for retailers with a turnover of between £10 million and £50 million. The nominations deadline is October 6.