CONFERENCE


Firms warned to beware the CMA’s ‘crusading’ officials


T


he travel industry was warned it is “low-hanging fruit” for the Competition and


Markets Authority (CMA), with experts suggesting the regulator is actively seeking a high-profile case to demonstrate its bolstered enforcement powers. Speaking at the Advantage Travel


Partnership conference in Madrid, Martin Alcock, director of Travel Trade Consultancy, warned the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Act now allows the CMA to act as “judge and jury”. The regulator can bypass court


processes to issue direct fines of up to 10% of global turnover. Alcock suggested officials are


moving beyond warnings and are looking for a “head on a stick” to serve as a deterrent. He noted a shift in tone from


the regulator, describing officials as


“crusaders” who see themselves as protecting customers. He pointed to a recent £4.2 million fine levied against The AA as evidence of this increasingly aggressive stance. Aviation and travel lawyer Jo


Kolatsis, director of Themis Advisory, added that the industry’s complex pricing makes it an easy target. New transparency guidance


requires every “invitation to purchase” – including social media ads – to include all mandatory taxes and resort fees. Kolatsis warned regulators are now using “AI bots” to scan for misleading lead-in prices and false scarcity claims. The experts’ legal warning


also extended to operational risks, specifically regarding transit through the Middle East. Kolatsis and Alcock highlighted


a “legal minefield” for companies allowing customers to transit through restricted regions against Foreign,


‘AI threatens creeping costs as well as loss of expertise’


Travel companies relying too heavily on artificial intelligence face “creeping costs” that could threaten future business models, delegates were warned. Keynote speaker Mehreen Khan, economics editor


of The Times, highlighted tech giants are set to invest $649 billion in AI this year alone. Gold Medal managing director Simon Applebaum


cautioned this investment must eventually be recouped through subscriptions or advertising. Comparing the shift to Netflix’s gradual price hikes, he predicted free access could vanish within four years. “I’m in no rush to dive into AI too deeply unless


the business case is hugely weighted in its favour,” Applebaum said, warning that businesses replacing headcount with AI risk losing irrecoverable expertise.


10 21 MAY 2026 ‘Trends transforming travel’ panel session Panellists agreed that while AI excels at “mundane


tasks,” the “human touch” remains a competitive necessity. British Airways’ Gillian Wickers and Celebrity Cruises’ Giles Hawke emphasised using AI in the back office to free up staff for direct passenger interaction. Conference moderator and tech journalist Georgie


Barrat described AI as a “democratisation of opportunity” for smaller firms but warned it can dilute distinctiveness.


Commonwealth & Development Office advice. Despite some agents using


waivers to acknowledge these risks, the experts warned that such documents have strict legal limits. “Even if somebody did sign a


waiver, if something happens, the insurance is invalid and you as the package organiser are still liable,” Alcock explained. Kolatsis added that many


businesses could not sustain the multimillion-pound costs of an injury claim without liability insurance. Their warning came after


Advantage chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said had criticised the “illogical” rules around transiting through the Middle East earlier in the conference. Advantage chief operating officer


Paul Nunn noted the industry remains split, with only some operators willing


to take on the transit risk. › CMA ‘naming and shaming’, page 47


Jo Kolatsis Consortium hails digital leads


The Advantage Travel Partnership’s rebrand has generated more than 4,000 leads for members since it was launched 12 months ago, with marketing director David Forder reporting a 400% surge in consumers searching for agents online. Forder attributed this to a “funnelling”


strategy and high-profile media outreach that has “reinvigorated the business”. This digital success aligns with the


group’s “2030 vision”, a long-term strategy designed to continually grow scale and drive value back to members. Forder (pictured) added that while


Advantage Travel Partnership Conference 2026: Industry leaders tackle politi


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