This week ABTA welcomed another operator into our single payment scheme, which is going from strength to strength and continuing to provide our Members with a range of benefits. Hurtigruten Limited joins nearly 1,700 overall SPS users which include 62 operators and 1618 participating agents. ABTA SPS is a direct debit system allowing fast online payments to be made between ABTA travel agents, tour operators and partners. Transactions are consolidated by the payment scheme, so that each week only a single payment is made in or out of each Member’s bank account. For agents this is a free to use service which simplifies payments to tour operators. It reduces administration through an easy to collect direct debit system. Transactions are fully amendable and there is also the opportunity for agents to enjoy a discount via the applicable risk on their financial protection arrangements. Of course for operators such as Hurtigruten, the improved cash flow and credit control is an important benefit, and with outstanding balances processed weekly there is not only a reduced administrative burden but transactions fall within our claims criteria in the event of an agency failure. Operators such as Carnival and Cosmos have both publicly recommended the system so for those not signed up, or for those who would like to start trading with Hurtigruten through their current SPS log in please contact Esther Riske eriske@abta.co.uk.

Mark Tanzer, Chief Executive