news conference report Aito Conference 2010 November 19-22 ■ Radisson Blu Hotel ■ Brussels
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More than 150 Aito members hit Brussels last weekend to discuss the issues facing independent operators. Rob Gill reports
Operators clash over crisis claim payouts
AITO OPERATORS found themselves disagreeing about whether they should fully cover customers’ expenses when they are stranded abroad due to events such as the ash cloud. Sunvil managing director Noel Josephides, who could not attend the conference but appeared on a video link, said that the operator had paid all of the expenses for customers stranded by the ash cloud, but several other Aito members said they had paid only part of the expenses for affected clients.
Josephides told the conference: “If I was a client I would expect my tour operator to look after me if I was stranded abroad in a situation like the ash cloud. “It would leave a bad taste if your tour
operator said ‘you are on your own and have to pay for your accommodation’. “I sympathise with the fact that many operators would find it difficult to justify the extra expen- diture, but why would they book with us again if they don’t trust us to look after them? “Sunvil’s reputation is far more important than its profitability.”
10 26.11.2010
However, Wendy Wu managing director Manuel Mascarenhas said his company decided it would not fund accommodation expenses for its 110 customers stranded in China after it was told by airlines that it could take up to three weeks to bring them back home. “It was not a difficult decision as we were not willing to compromise the profitability and the future of the business,” said Mascarenhas. He added that the operator found “value accommodation” for guests, as well as providing breakfasts, transport to the airport and extending visas at no extra cost. Andante Travels’ Annabel Lawson said the
company had been hit “disproportionately hard” when 120 of its clients were stuck abroad. “It’s not morally right to pay all the expenses for such an extraordinary event,” she said. “It’s not fair, just or possible in these sorts of circumstances.”
Lawson said Andante had paid for two coaches to pick up customers from around Europe, covered their first night of accommodation and lent them money when necessary.
REBRANDING. New logo for Aito
AITO PLANS to launch a new logo to try to boost the association’s profile with consumers. The logo has been chosen by the association’s
marketing committee and was unveiled to tour operators at the conference in Brussels. Executive director Kate Kenward said Aito
had carried out research among members and consumers, and said the logo was part of a brand review. “We want to create a new look, style and
identity which can be applied across all our different activities,” she told delegates. “There have been a lot of mixed messages and confusion with our current range of logos.” The new logo will be adaptable so that it can be applied to different groups in Aito, including the tour operators and Specialist Travel Agents. There is also an idea to include a membership number with the new logo – in a similar way to the Atol and Abta symbols. “The current logo is seen as being a bit old-fashioned,” Kenward said. “We also found that awareness of Aito and the benefits it offers is limited – and is behind that of Abta and Atol.”
Once the logo is ap-
proved by the Aito coun- cil, it will be introduced in time for the asso- caition’s 35th anniversary next year.
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