The Association is facilitating workshops between members and the Department for Business and Trade

ABTA is offering members the chance to meet with officials from the Department for Business and Trade, who are leading on the review of the Package Travel Regulations (PTRs), to discuss the proposals and what they would mean for their business and customers. 

The workshops are taking place in November and December and all members are invited to attend. 

The PTR Call for Evidence, launched last month, outlines the Government’s initial thinking about potential changes to the regulations. ABTA says it is critical Government understands what these changes would mean for businesses and holidaymakers. 

This is why the Association has set up a series of workshops offering members the chance to speak directly to the Department for Business and Trade. The dates and location of the workshops are:

• 21 November – Edinburgh
• Birmingham (date tbc, likely end of November)
• 5 December – Manchester

Members can sign up to attend the workshops at https://www.abta.com/events/abta-package-travel-regulations-roadshow. 

The first was held in London last week where issues discussed included taking UK and lower cost holidays, including school trips, out of protection; the requirement to pay refunds within 14 days; the right of redress for organisers against their suppliers; and whether business travellers should be protected under the Regulations.

Points raised in the workshops will also be used to inform ABTA’s response to the consultation, and to that end ABTA is also running a survey for members to provide feedback. 

Luke Petherbridge, Director of Public Affairs at ABTA said:

“Good regulation is about getting the balance right to ensure fairness between business, and fairness for consumers.

“The Package Travel Regulations are the legislative backbone of our industry – it’s what dictates how our members provide holidays to customers, and meeting these regulations is an important part of the ABTA Code of Conduct.

“The review of the Package Travel Regulations offers the chance to shape the regulations for the better, for businesses and consumers. We urge members to make their voice heard.” 

About ABTA
ABTA is a trade association for UK travel agents, tour operators and the wider travel industry. We’re the largest travel trade body, with over 3,900 travel brands in membership who have a combined pre-pandemic annual UK turnover of £40 billion. We work closely with our members to help raise and maintain standards and build a more sustainable travel industry, and provide travellers with advice, guidance, and support.

Our members sign up to a code of conduct and commit to agreed service standards and fair trading. When you need clear travel information, and accurate and impartial advice relating to your trip, we’re here for you. We’ll help you understand your level of financial protection, and what to do next, in the unlikely event that an ABTA member goes out of business. So, whatever happens, when you book with an ABTA member, reliable advice comes as standard. This means that booking with our members brings peace of mind. Together with our members, we help you travel with confidence. www.abta.com