Juliet Dennis


Aito welcomes new member Premier 103


part of the Sunvil group, has also left. The changes follow the addition


Aito has announced Premier Holidays as its newest member as it confirmed its longest-standing tour operator, Sunvil, has left the association. Aito, The Specialist Travel


Association, which turns 50 next year, revealed it was in discussions with 17 companies interested in joining. Tour operator Premier Holidays,


which turns 90 next year, joined on December 1 and becomes one of Aito’s largest members by turnover, while also new for the 2025-26 financial year is luxury specialist Steppes Travel. Sunvil has not renewed


membership for the current year but stressed its “door remains open” to rejoining in future. Planet Holidays,


of 10 operators in the financial year to the end of August 2025, including Novaturient Tours & Travel, Tasmanian Odyssey, Success Tours (Magari Tours), Adventure Base and Our Local Tour. Aito currently has 103 members


and continues to target 150 by the end of 2027. Its government- approved financial protection scheme, Aito Financial Protection Services (AFPS), launched in June as part of its bid to swell its ranks. Martyn Sumners, Aito executive


director, welcomed Premier Holidays, which offers tailor-made trips across destinations including Asia, the Indian Ocean, Channel Islands, Middle East, US and Canada, describing it as a “well-established


On the Beach rejoins Abta and hits record £1.25bn in sales


Ian Taylor


On the Beach confirmed it had rejoined Abta on Monday ahead of reporting a “record year” in results for the 12 months to September the following day. The company had resigned


from Abta, along with fellow OTA loveholidays, at the height of the Covid pandemic in September 2020 when the Abta board affirmed its policy that Foreign Office (FCDO) advice against all but essential travel requires members to cancel bookings and offer customers full refunds. All Abta members were struggling


6 4 DECEMBER 2025


to offer refunds at the time as airlines withheld refunds when flights went ahead. On the Beach founder Simon


Cooper, who was then chief executive, noted Abta membership was “not mandatory” at the time. But reporting the about-turn this week, chief executive Shaun Morton said: “Abta plays a key role in helping customers book with confidence.” An Abta spokesperson noted On


the Beach is “a considerable player in the UK outbound travel market” and said: “We’re very pleased.” Morton reported record


transaction value of £1.25 billion


Number of Aito members – the group is targeting 150 by 2027


and forward-thinking” brand. Premier Holidays sales and


marketing director Debbie Goffin said: “As we enter our 90th year, this step strengthens our foundation for the future and reinforces our promise to both our travel agent partners and customers.” On Sunvil’s departure, Sumners


said he was disappointed but, following discussions with the operator, recognised the “need for them to focus on their own strategic


direction with a great deal of change taking place in the industry”. He remained hopeful Sunvil


would return in future, citing the company as “a major contributor” since joining in 1976, the year Aito was founded. The departure of Sunvil, whose


chairman Noel Josephides was a director and former chairman of Aito, was understood to be amicable. The company said it had taken the decision “after thoughtful consideration” and appreciated the opportunities the association had provided. In a statement, it said: “As Sunvil


evolves and grows, we’re focusing our resources on initiatives that most closely align with our strategic goals


and the needs of our clients.” i Aito Conference, page 10


Shaun Morton


for the 12 months, with summer bookings up 13% year on year and 1.7 million customers in total. However, profits after tax for the


year fell below £9 million, in part due to the closure of Classic Collection, announced in September. Morton said the decision to shut


Classic Collection had “not been taken lightly, as it was a good brand with a lot of good people and we’d invested a lot”. But he said: “We couldn’t see


a way to make it a scalable and profitable part of the business.” At the same time, the company’s


deal with Ryanair in February 2024 meant “there were opportunities to scale the B2C business more rapidly”. Morton reported bookings for


the current 12 months up 14% year on year but acknowledged a “period of uncertainty” among consumers ahead of last week’s Budget. He revealed On the Beach has


added cruise product to its platform, describing it as a “compelling opportunity”. Abta was due to hold its annual


general meeting on Thursday, ahead of a final board meeting of the year at which the board will elect a new chair.


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURE: On the Beach


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