Amongst the original objectives for which the association of British travel agents was established and which still remains in the Memorandum of Association until this day were 'to promote and develop the general interests of all Members such as travel agents or tour operators of the Association' and 'to do all such things as may be deemed necessary or expedient to raise the prestige and status of Members of the Association'. Broadly speaking, the former represents ABTA's 'commercial role', the latter its 'regulatory role'. ABTA's 800* tour operators and 6700* travel agency offices are responsible for the sale of some 80% of UK-sold holidays.

ABTA's commercial role is to influence events, for instance at government and EC level and in commercial affairs in a general way, so as to create as favourable a business environment as is possible consistent with its British travel agent’s or tour operator’s right to compete freely with other sectors of trade and industry in the UK and with each other.

ABTA achieves a great deal in this respect, for example, by opposing legislation damaging to the trade whether emanating from Westminster or Brussels; promoting the image of British travel agents through 'external' public relations; and by offering services to Members.

The trouble is that the advantages of activities such as these may not always be immediately obvious to members such as tour operators or travel agents in the UK. In addition, there tends to be much misunderstanding amongst Members about the scope and especially the limitations of ABTA's commercial role.

For example, it is not ABTA's business to interfere directly in the commercial decisions of individual members relating to matters such as discounting by British travel agents, brochure re-launches by tour operators, overcapacity, direct selling, proliferation of travel agencies, advertisements comparing a member favourably on relation to other members (provided the comparison can be substantiated), which of the association’s travel agents or tour operators should appoint as their own agents and so on.

Interference such as this would in any event be illegal under the restrictive practises legislation and this would be true even if Stabiliser had not been upheld by the Restrictive Practises Court. It is often quite wrongly said that without Stabiliser, ABTA or other separate British travel agent associations or tour operators and travel agents, would have been more able to indulge in these sorts of activities. This is simply untrue as a matter of straight law, and all trade associations are in the same position.

Association of British Travel Agents Ltd
68-71 Newman Street, London, W1T 3AH

Switchboard: +44 (0)20 7637 2444
Facsimile: +44 (0)20 7637 0713

information@abta.co.uk