p4 news July3 1/7/09 22:07 Page 4
news
03.07.2009
Abta corrals trade
APD: MPs can
to fix protection
still change bill
CARIBBEAN tourism organisations are
calling for TTG readers to write to
their MPs to persuade them to
Chris Gray and Rob Gill.
taken to court by the CAA over sales intervene next week to stop the
ABTA will set up a working group procedures that Travel Republic claims government pressing ahead with
including the CAA and key industry were endorsed by Abta. This week that increases to Air Passenger Duty.
organisations within a month to thrash case was sent for trial in October. The bill goes to “report stage” in the Commons
out a single solution on reforming The difficulty of finding agreement on Tuesday, when MPs can propose changes.
consumer financial protection to put over consumer protection was MPs with large Caribbean communities in
to the government this autumn. demonstrated this week at a their constituencies are already coming under
The group will also include Aito, the Chartered Institute of Marketing pressure because the tax will increase more for
Passenger Shipping Association and the Scottish Travel Industry Group seminar. the Caribbean than more distant destinations.
Passenger Agents’ Association. The CAA’s David Moesli warned that the Carol Hay of the Caribbean Tourism Organisa-
Abta chairman John McEwan (pictured) said Department for Transport was unlikely to accept tion urged agents to write to their MP before
the government was most likely to listen to the Abta’s suggestion for an “agents’ Atol” because Tuesday to try to get change.
industry if the CAA and Abta agreed the way it would create more complexity. Readers can find their MP’s address and draft
forward, and the two organisations would meet But McEwan said the debate was the first time letters at onecaribbean.org/traveltrade.
separately before the full group. the CAA had been so positive about changing the The CTO’s call came as the 6,500 people who
Differences between Abta and the CAA have system, suggesting there was real opportunity signed TTG’s Downing Street petition calling for
previously led to a protracted High Court case the industry could find an agreed solution. tax to be reformed each received an email from
about the definition of a package. No 10 saying the system should not be changed
Abta member Travel Republic has also been ■ Cimtig debate, p10-11 because it was “administratively simple”.
The Travel Republic case will be heard by a not guilty to 20 charges of breaking CAA rules,
district judge at Stratford Magistrates’ Court in was released on unconditional bail on Wednesday.
Hicks leaves
London from October 12. About 30 Travel Repub- The prosecuting barrister told magistrates it was
lic customers are expected to be called in person. a test case which would create a legal ruling on Wendy Wu Tours
Managing director Kane Pirie, who has pleaded what constitutes a package holiday.
WENDY WU Tours managing director Laurence
Hicks has left the company after he and the
board of directors failed to agree terms on a
Cruise118 seeks
by former MyTravel directors Mal Barritt and permanent contract.
James Cole. Hicks had been negotiating with the company
to add 50 agents
The company, which also employs home- after his initial year-long contract ran out in May.
workers, beat off competition from some of the He said he and the company were parting on
UK’s largest cruise agencies to secure the Travel good terms, after he had fulfilled his brief of
A CRUISE agency set up by two former MyTravel Supermarket deal. turning it from a small family enterprise into a
directors is starting an expansion drive after Director James Cole says sales staff are known medium-sized commercial business.
securing a multimillion-pound deal to provide as “cruise concierges”, and customers’ calls are Hicks said in his 14 months at Wendy Wu Tours
content for the Travel Supermarket website. automatically directed to the same consultant he had increased passenger numbers by 30%
The Lancashire-based agency plans to recruit from the first call to returning from holiday. and delivered profitability, despite recession and
50 agents over the next 12 months to cope with Cruise118 employs 25 consultants with half an earthquake in China.
increased business from the website plus its own based in the Chorley call centre and the others Founder Wendy Wu said Hicks had transformed
three new niche websites set up earlier this year. working from home. New staff will be able to the company, which was “deeply saddened” by
Cruise118 was launched just over a year ago work in Chorley or from home. his departure.
04 03.07.2009
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