ABTA/FTO UPDATES FLU ADVICE
Date published: 11 June 2009ABTA has updated a letter for Members to distribute to suppliers and customer noticeboards to reflect the changes to the Pandemic Flu alert level so that suppliers and customers are fully informed of the relevant facts.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has advised that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its pandemic threat alert Phase to Level 6.
ABTA is advising Members that they should consider proactively issuing a copy of the supplier letter to their overseas suppliers and by either displaying the customer information on notice boards / information books or issuing the information to customers directly in order to ensure that everyone is aware of situation and the precautionary measures that they should take as a result of the Pandemic.
ABTA is currently unaware of any travel restrictions at this time, but travellers and ABTA Members should monitor travel advice for their relevant countries at www.fco.gov.uk.
ABTA Members can find the letters together with frequently asked questions on influenza A (H1N1) on the ABTA website www.abta.com.
For further information
Sean Tipton, Communications Officer, tel: 020 3117 0513,Frances Tuke, Public Relations Manager, tel: 020 3117 0514, Mobile 07850 712 325,
Casia Zajac, Head of Communications, tel: 020 3117 0515, Mobile: 07545 927 411
Out of Hours: Contact the Duty Press Officer via pager: 07659 190987
E-mail: press@abta.co.uk
Web: www.abta.com
Notes to editors
ABTA – The Travel Association was founded in 1950 and currently has 1,415 members with 5,900 outlets. Members include travel agents, tour operators and support services right across the spectrum from small family-owned businesses to the largest tour operators.
ABTA is the largest travel association in the UK and its members provide 90% of the foreign package holidays in the UK as well as selling millions of independent travel arrangements.
As part of its comprehensive package of services to members, ABTA, as a non-party political organisation, also provides an effective voice to represent the interests of its Members to government and key opinion formers at the highest levels. In the UK, these include, government ministers, constituency MPs, Select Committee members, senior civil servants and members of the political opposition parties in both Westminster and the devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
In Europe, ABTA is forming close ties with members of the European Parliament, the European Commission and staff within the Director Generals’ Secretariats. ABTA works in partnership with ECTAA (the European grouping of travel agents and tour operators’ associations) to lobby on interests relevant to its Members.
