search.noResults

search.searching

dataCollection.invalidEmail
note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
NEWS


Agents ‘lose thousands’ in card refund fees


Ben Ireland


Agents have lost thousands of pounds through a double hit on credit card fees when dealing with the “tsunami” of refunds triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic. Fees typically range from between


0.5% and 2.5% of the transaction value, so a £10,000 booking made via credit card costs an agent at least £50. Agents say card firms are also


charging fees to process refunds, meaning double their costs, on top of lost commission.


Westoe Travel director Graeme


Brett said his South Shields agency was likely to have lost £3,500 in fees, and he has written to Abta calling on the association to raise the issue with card firms on behalf of the industry. He said Westoe Travel had been


asking customers to accept refunds via bank transfer to save some costs. Lee Hunt, owner and managing


director of Suffolk-based Deben Travel, said a “conservative estimate” was that his business could be stung for £7,500 in card fees after refunding £1 million worth of bookings.


Inset: SPAA’s Joanne Dooey


“We know we’ll not get that


money back,” he said. “We’ve been charged a fee for something that, in the end, didn’t happen.” Hunt said he would write to his


bank “when things have quietened down”, but his priority was forward bookings and processing refunds. Research by the Scottish Passenger


Agents’ Association (SPAA) found 74% of members had lost out on card fees in the refund process. Of those, 31% lost around £500 in a month, while 35% lost in the region of £200. “It’s a perfect storm,” said


SPAA president Joanne Dooey, who represents the association’s 120 members. “The tsunami of cancellations and refunds means the travel agent will never receive any fees for the work they did months ago.” Dooey pointed out agencies don’t


charge fees, “unlike almost all other sectors”, adding: “Losing money over and above the full cost of a client’s travel through credit card charges is the straw which breaks the camel’s back. Credit card companies should be refunding the charges or introducing a handling fee to customers.”


Trade boosts domestic partnerships Juliet Dennis


Agents and UK operators are ramping up commercial relationships to tap into increased demand for domestic holidays. Advantage Travel Partnership has


announced new partnerships with UK suppliers. The consortium is poised to


add The UK Holiday Group, which includes Grand UK, Glenton Holidays and Palmer Holidays, to its supplier list, while Advantage business partner Anzcro has partnered with UK motorhome and campervan operator Spaceships, which is now available for members to book. Advantage has also added more


travelweekly.co.uk


villa specialists, such as Ocean Florida, to meet increased demand. Leisure director Kelly Cookes


said: “To support members to capitalise on an increase in demand for staycations and villa-based holidays, we’ve partnered with brands we believe will help members deliver what the British travelling public really want this summer.” More operators are also homing


in on the trade. Cosmos aims to raise awareness


among agents of its UK and Ireland range of tours, which are normally 95% filled by US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand holidaymakers. Managing director Giles Hawke said: “We’re seeing more demand


than before [from UK agents] but we have a job to do to educate agents on what we’ve got in the Cosmos and Globus product ranges.” Cosmos Tours and Globus Escapes


trips restart in September. Hawke said: “It is unrealistic we’ll fill all our


Hoseasons’ Delny Highland Lodges


tours from the UK but there is a big earning and learning opportunity for agents. A lot may have sold Shearings tours, or not sold UK tours at all.” Hoseasons, which temporarily


stopped taking new agent sales in April and May, reported “record- breaking” demand in the past week. Sally Henry, sales director at


parent company Awaze UK, said: “Sales through agents are up 89% year on year since Boris made his announcement on June 23, which was our best booking day of the year.” She also noted a “significant shift”


to cottage bookings. “These have always been available to our agency partners, but are selling particularly well at the moment,” Henry added.


2 JULY 2020 7


PICTURES: Shutterstock; Robert Hamilton


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38