NEWS — HOT STORIES 2
Rocketing value of fraud reflects growing problem
Lee Hayhurst
The value of fraudulent bookings has shot up over the past year, according to travel sector anti- fraud body PROFiT. The latest annual study of data
from PROFiT’s FIN anti-fraud system found the value of flight- only fraud had more than doubled from an average of £729 per booking to £1,561. The average value of
fraud related to overseas accommodation has rocketed from £558 to £1,289 per booking. Overall fraud is up 18%, although flight-only fraud volume has fallen. PROFiT believes the trend, which is drawn from more than 800,000 fraudulent records, could reflect the emergence of luxury destinations such as Dubai. But PROFiT chairman Barry Gooch warned that fraudsters were winning in all areas in what he described as “the hardest year on record for travel companies”. “When things are tough, fraud goes up,” he added. “People tell me the market is up to 20% worse than last year – and last year was hard.”
To help firms combat fraud,
PROFiT is running a 20-week email campaign backed by industry bodies including Abta, Aito and The Travel Network Group. Companies are sent a weekly email that includes detailed advice about a specific area of fraud. The travel sector is regarded as
a problem area for payment fraud, particularly card-not- present (CNP) transactions, according to PROFiT.
Most firms use a card
security code or address verification system to pick up fraudulent bookings, but these are not considered adequate. Gooch said, while work has been done with airlines, card companies and authorities to tackle fraud, travel agencies were “regarded as the next biggest problem”. “The implications are that card schemes are likely to get tougher with travel companies,” he added.
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Avis Budget won the AWTE Company Award
AWTE salutes industry’s most inspirational women
Juliet Dennis
Senior industry leaders Jo Rzymowska and Harriet Green have been honoured alongside car hire giant Avis Budget for their business success and support for women in travel. The Association of Women Travel Executives (AWTE)
chairwoman Barbro McAusland handed out three awards at this week’s 60th anniversary dinner, where it also revealed its 60 for 60 – the 60 most influential women in travel and tourism over the past 60 years.
Rzymowska, Celebrity Cruises’ UK and Ireland managing director, received the AWTE Honorary Award for her contribution to the industry; Green took the AWTE Business Impact Award; and Avis Budget was awarded the AWTE Company Award. Rzymowska started her career as a holiday rep in the early 1980s for Intasun, part of International Leisure Group, and has worked at companies including Disney, Hertz and Thomas Cook. Green was credited with bringing Thomas Cook back from the “brink of collapse”. She said: “It has been a real privilege to lead the ongoing
transformation of the business and, although we have much still to do, the encouragement of this recognition to everyone at Thomas Cook, especially the women, will mean a lot.” The AWTE Company Award went to Avis Budget, where four of the eight members of the group’s Europe, Middle East and Africa commercial team are female. Julia Kemp, director of leisure and partnerships, said: “It’s
inspirational and aspirational for others to see women making it to senior positions.” ❯ Special Report: The full 60 for 60 list, pages 14-15
17 July 2014 —
travelweekly.co.uk • 5
“It is the
hardest year on record for travel
companies”
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