ABTA to review its operations

(31 August 2006)

ABTA is undergoing a thorough review of its operations to ensure it is efficient and offers members value for money.

In an exclusive interview with Travel Weekly to mark a year since he took over, chief executive Mark Tanzer said the association was looking at what it needs to do less of and where it can improve.

Among the changes being considered are the outsourcing of claims administration, leaving member offers for consortia to deal with, and creating a health and safety hotel and resort advisory service for agents.

More of the association’s resources will be directed towards lobbying activities and marketing the advantages of being an ABTA member. The top two floors of the Newman Street building have been cleared, ready to be leased out, as ABTA looks to cash in on the building.

"We are having a complete ‘root and branch’ look at what we do," Tanzer said. "There are some things we do that we will not do in the future and there are other things, health and safety expertise for instance, that members are saying they need because they are advising clients where to go on holiday."

Tanzer said ABTA does not have the capacity to deal with the huge amount of paperwork associated with claims when a member goes out of business and this would be better dealt with by an outside specialist that can cope with peaks and troughs in demand for the service.

There will not be a cull of ABTA staff, just a "reconfiguration of the organisation", he added.

"We are consolidating the space we are using in the building and are looking to do the things that matter, and that hopefully will bring down costs in the long term," he said.

by Lee Hayhurst (About this Author)

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