SUMMIT Juliet Dennis reports from the 2025 Atas Summit in London


New Atas website ‘will help create a community’


T


he Association of Touring & Adventure Suppliers (Atas) has soft-launched a new website featuring


member profile pages as well as events, training and news sections. The new-look site, which goes


live this week, allows non-members to see details of Atas, its members, joining options and the latest news from the sector, while all other information is only available to members once logged in. Announcing the upgrade at last


week’s Atas Summit, director Claire Brighton described the site as “a huge step forward”. Site users have profile pages


– which they can choose to make public or keep hidden – allowing them to connect with other users to share touring and adventure knowledge and ask questions. Tour operator members and


agents will be asked to complete an Atas blog on agent fam trips,


Claire Brighton with Atas chair Niel Alobaidi (left) and Ian Dines, both Newmarket Holidays


38


Number of Atas tour operator members – a rise of 50% since 2019


which will be added to their profiles to help other agents learn about the destinations. “We always wanted Atas to be a


community and this website will help us develop this side of things further,” said Brighton. The overhauled homepage


highlights updates such as new campaigns; an events area where members can share their own events as well as see Atas events; an improved agent information area; and new training modules. Agents will be able to filter


searches for Atas brands – for example, by destination as well as


supplier name – while the members’ pages include short descriptions rather than just a logo and name. Supplier information will


feature key contacts for agents with photographs – so agents can easily contact the person they need – as well as the company’s latest incentives, campaigns, competitions and news. It will also feature a gallery of


destination or brand images and downloadable videos, and each operator has a ‘brochure rack’ for agents to view electronically. A redesigned sustainability hub


includes key information about members, destinations and tips on how to answer customers’ questions. A section about the latest travel


trends is set to go live soon, while Atas’s new training academy, offered in partnership with sister brand Online Travel Training (OTT), allows agents to expand their knowledge and earn points by completing modules.


TO LOBBY AIRLINES


GROUP


A new Atas operations working group hopes to “hold airlines to account”


through collective lobbying on flight cancellations and to share best practice for crisis situations.


Ian Dines, chief people and customer officer at


Atas member Newmarket Holidays, said flight


cancellations were cited as one of the biggest problems at the group’s first meeting. Dines said: “We talked about being able to form some lobbying groups. We have to change the whole itinerary as a result of flight schedule changes.”


Improving communication with airlines could ease situations in which operators struggle to get hold of carriers, he


said, noting Atas had already sent an email to members with details of flight changes and Foreign Office advice after Israel’s attack on Iran. He stressed: “We need to


approach airlines [collectively] on how they can help us. It could have some real


influence but will take time.”


He added crises were another focus as they posed the risk of “huge reputational damage” to Atas brands.


“It is really important to share best practice,” he said.


Dines also urged agents to share customer details with suppliers to help them deliver the best service in a crisis. “Sometimes agents are


reticent about providing that information, which results in inferior service,” he said. “Work with us. We are not trying to do you over – we are trying to help.”


8


26 JUNE 2025


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURE: Steve Dunlop


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