NEWS
CAA urges Atol holders to hit renewal deadline
Ian Taylor
As many as 200 Atol holders had still to submit applications to renew their licences as the September renewal process neared its end this week, with many facing the prospect of being unable to take bookings from Friday. Last week, the CAA urged licence
holders to submit renewal applications ahead of the September 30 deadline as it revealed “around 20% of businesses” had not yet applied – about double the rate still to apply at the same stage of the March renewal. There were hopes the CAA would
extend the renewal process as Travel Weekly went to press after it warned: “Businesses yet to meet their licence conditions face losing the ability to sell package holidays after September 30.” The CAA noted: “Businesses
would have to stop taking new licensable bookings, stop accepting payments for existing licensable bookings, instruct agents they should not accept new bookings or payments, stop advertising licensable business and remove all references to Atol on websites and promotional material.” Businesses would also “have to notify customers due to travel after September 30...and give a full refund”.
Alan Bowen, legal advisor to the
Association of Atol Companies, told Travel Weekly: “This is undoubtedly the most difficult renewal we’ve seen. The CAA extended the renewal process in March and September last year, but didn’t in March this year. “I suspect quite a few Atol holders
have decided not to renew. One reason for the late applications is fear. People are terrified. I had one client who was asked for a £1 million bond. “But people won’t be able to sell
holidays from Friday without an Atol. We’ll have a big problem on Friday without an extension.” Bowen noted: “You can’t have
Businesses could
have to stop taking licensable bookings from Friday
an extension if you haven’t put in an application. And if you don’t have an Atol and issued refund credit notes [RCNs], these will have to be refunded because RCNs can’t be used to issue another Atol-backed holiday.” Another senior industry figure
argued: “I suspect the CAA will hold the line [on the deadline], but deal pragmatically with outstanding cases [or] they could end up creating the problem they’re trying to avoid. “There are people with big
problems, but also people just behind because of reforecasting or struggling with reduced resources. These are reasons the CAA will understand.”
Global Travel Week opens in London Travel Weekly reporters
Hundreds of travel buyers, suppliers and destinations attended the inaugural Global Travel Week in London this week to support the industry’s recovery from the impact of the pandemic. The event, held at the Kia Oval,
was organised by Travel Weekly’s parent company Jacobs Media Group and featured targeted business meetings, insight sessions and a range of events including hosted dinners at leading hotels The Ned, The Aviary and The Prince London. It was hosted by Connections,
Jacobs Media Group’s international events brand and business network. The event was opened on
travelweekly.co.uk
Monday by the company’s chairman Clive Jacobs, alongside Connections managing director Micaela Giacobbe and country partner the Italian National Tourist Board. Addressing delegates, Jacobs said:
“I am elated to see so many of you here today after everything we have been through and especially taking into account the ongoing uncertainty around testing and entry requirements that still plagues our industry.” He added: “None of us here today
could have possibly envisaged the looming crisis and the terrible toll it would take on our industry. We have all been challenged to our absolute limit in an industry that has always been more susceptible than most to external threats, but no one could
foresee what was ahead of us back at the start of 2020. “That is why I am proud to launch
the inaugural Global Travel Week, powered by Connections, a brand- new annual travel trade event. Now is the time to start the rebuilding
Clive Jacobs
process within our industry, therefore I believe the bold timing of this launch is absolutely pivotal.” In addition to the meetings and
events programme, Global Travel Week featured panel discussions and presentations from other Jacobs Media Group brands, including Travel Weekly, Aspire, Atas and the Global Travel & Tourism Resilience Council. Other insight sessions were
presented by Unity Through Tourism, the programme for countries united through the Commonwealth, and digital travel brand Travolution, which was due to host its European
Summit on Thursday. i A Middle East edition of Global Travel Week is to take place in Oman on March 27-30 next year.
30 SEPTEMBER 2021 7
PICTURE: Sarah Lucy Brown
PICTURE: Shutterstock/aapsky
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