NEWS SPECIAL REPORT
SPAA Awards 2018: Scotland’s finest agents and suppliers are honoured at association’s annual awards. Harry Kemble reports from Glasgow
Ken McLeod
McLeod hails homeworkers ahead of Brexit and NDC
The Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association is keen to build relationships between suppliers and the “astonishing” number of homeworkers in the country.
At last week’s SPAA Awards,
president Ken McLeod tipped homeworkers to come to the fore as the effects of Brexit and Iata’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) become clearer. He told Travel Weekly: “There is this underpinning culture of individuals, who have loads of contacts and are making bookings. “That is changing the dynamics
slightly, so how do suppliers get access to them? They are not known on the high street because they are sitting at home. “We are one of the few routes
to market for those suppliers. That is something that we need to build on with our associate [members] so we can continue that communication for them. “It goes both ways, because those guys who sell the product want to know more about the product as well.” McLeod said there was
an “astonishing” number of homeworkers the SPAA was unaware of, but added that the association’s membership was the strongest it has ever been. Currently, the SPAA has more
than 120 agencies and nearly 100 associates as members. Members, including homeworkers, have access to around 16 events each year, which McLeod said “gives
them confidence to know that they can share problems with each other”. “They value that attachment,” he said. McLeod said the full impact of
NDC for travel agents would not be felt until the end of 2019. “I align NDC to Brexit because of the unknown and the uncertainty,” he said. “I think it is going to be one of the big issues of the year.”
‘Scots need to lobby MPs to reduce APD’
The Scottish public need to lobby MPs if Air Passenger Duty (APD) in Scotland is to be reduced in the near future, the president of the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association said. Ken McLeod said Holyrood would not fulfil its promise to replace APD with a reduced air departure tax and subsequent aboliton of the levy unless customers made their voices heard. Earlier this year, the Scottish government said it would not reduce APD in April 2019 because it would compromise devolved powers and damage the Highlands economy. APD in Scotland is forecast to raise around £1.6 billion by 2023-24. McLeod said: “The only way we can change this is by lobbying local MPs, but nobody can be bothered writing to their MPs. “There is no chance of it changing anytime soon unless there is an upsurge in customers challenging it.”
Stewart Travel collects the large leisure agency of the year award
Super Break, Glen Travel and If Only among the winners
Super Break scooped three honours at this year’s SPAA Awards. The short-break specialist
won gongs for hotel booking/ accommodation supplier of the year, UK holiday operator of the year and European city break supplier of the year. Glasgow-based Travel 2 won the independent long-haul operator of the year award and was named consolidator of the year. Jet2holidays was named short-haul operator of the year and also won the holiday airline of the year award. If Only won luxury tour operator of the year, Ski Independence won ski company of the year and Wendy Wu Tours won the award for touring and adventure company of the year. Agency awards went to
Stewart Travel and Glen Travel of Blantyre, while Fiona Bibby, of The Travel Architect, won homeworker of the year. Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Hurtigruten won the ocean, premium and specialist cruise company of the year awards respectively.
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travelweekly.co.uk 8 November 2018
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