 |
Welcome to the Catalogue of Services for ABTA Members 2001 | |
|
Welcome to the Catalogue of Services for ABTA Members 2001 | |
Edition - 2001
(last update: 21 March, 2001)
| Welcome to the latest edition of the Catalogue of Services for ABTA Members. This Catalogue describes all of the services currently available, including some brand new offers for both your company and your staff, and more consumer-awareness items: never before have there been so many ABTA-branded items available to you as an ABTA Member, helping to maintain public awareness of the ABTA logo at 87% (MORI - Package Holidays 2000). |
Of course we do not expect every service to suit every Member of the Association, but we do hope that every Member will find at least one service that is useful to them throughout the coming year.
|
| Increasing Sales | Reducing Costs | Reducing Administration | Training & Recognition for You and Your Staff | |||
| Reaching the Consumer | Providing a Forum | Advice & Information | Services for You and Your Staff |
|
1. ABTA Phonecards ABTA Phonecards Designed specifically to be sold by ABTA Members, ABTA Phonecards are the ideal product to meet customers' needs for making calls throughout the world. There is no need to purchase stock, no security or theft risk, and they are commissionable from 25%. Competitive new call charges now apply. |
2. British Travel Agents Accommodation Register British Travel Agents' Accommodation Register Developed by ABTA, with the support of the English, Scottish, Northern Ireland and Guernsey Tourist Boards, Jersey Tourism, the Isle of Man's Department of Tourism and Leisure, and the British Hospitality Association, the Register covers over 2000 commissionable hotels throughout the UK. It is available in printed format or on CD-ROM and can even be adapted to suit your own network systems. Commission offered by the hotels listed ranges between 8% and 15%. |
|
3. ABTA Ticket Wallets NEW These 220cm x 110cm wallets are available free of charge to ABTA Members. Produced for ABTA by Stenics Media, each wallet carries up to three advertisements, chosen not to conflict with Members' businesses. The wallets are printed on 275gsm paper and can be overprinted (in black and white) with your company details. For a sample wallet and details of how to order, call the ABTA ABTA Information Bureau. |
4. Professional Indemnity Insurance for Devitt Insurance Services' new Professional Indemnity Insurance has been designed exclusively for retail Members of ABTA. A monthly premium of £20 per site provides up to £1,000,000 cover for all business error and omissions (not just travel insurance) and tour operating activities up to 15% of turnover are included in the cover. Contact: Devitt Insurance Services Ltd |
|
|
5. Reduced Credit Card Charges ABTA has negotiated reduced credit card and debit card charges with two of the leading card services providers: NatWest Streamline and Barclays Merchant Services. Charges are typically less than those charged to non-Members. |
Office Products ABTA has negotiated an exclusive, additional 10% discount, for Members buying stationery and other office products from the UK's largest mail order office supplies company, Viking Direct. (Offer excludes Viking Price Buster & Machine Sales Catalogues). NEW Viking is offering ABTA Members 50% off the list price for their UV lamps (ABTA branded) which can be used to recognise fraudulent credit cards and counterfeit currency notes. (See Advice & Information - 32: Credit Card Fraud Prevention). |
|
|
7. The ABTA Phoneservice NEW A new tariff from January 2001 means the ABTA Phoneservice continues to offer highly competitive rates for the travel industry. Plus your business will benefit from: Per second billing; no minimum call or connection fee. |
8. Travelshop: insurance for Travel Agents Arranged by Aon Cork Bays & Fisher. A highly competitive 'all-in-one' policy, including cover for property loss or damage, business interruption, professional indemnity, cash, legal expenses and business travel. |
|
9. Single Payment Scheme Developed by X-TANT for ABTA, the Single Payment Scheme (SPS) is an automated direct debiting system between agents and operators. Open to ABTA Members and ABTA Travel Industry Partners, SPS saves all parties time and money. Participation in the scheme is free to agents. |
10. ABTA Mailing Lists The list of ABTA Members is available to all Members, free of charge, and can also be found in the ABTA Members' Handbook and on our website - www.abta.com. If you want to reach other Members easily by direct mail, ABTA's database is available in a variety of formats, from pre-printed labels for one-off use to commercial subscriptions; costs vary. |
|
|
11. Standard Forms ABTA has developed a series of standard forms designed to help you process bookings more easily. These include an insurance indemnity form, booking checklist, and a booking authorisation form, which can be used as an ATOL receipt. Forms are available free of charge on request, or can be downloaded from our website www.abta.com/members.html and photocopied. Bulk supplies of copies are available on an at-cost basis. |
12. Intra-Industry Mail Delivery Wherever your business is located in the United Kingdom, as a bona fide travel business, you can use the intra-industry next-day mail delivery service provided by Hays DX. |
|
13. www.abta.com: (i) ABTA's award-winning website gives consumers access to information about ABTA Members, allowing them to search for a specific Member by name, location and ABTA number, and also supplying lists of Members by speciality, destination or location. The site provides links through to Members' own sites (where they have them) and a messaging service that allows consumers to contact Members direct (whether or not they have email). If you are an ABTA Member, your business is listed on ABTAnet. |
14. www.abta.com: (ii) Over 30,000 consumers visited ABTAnet in November 2000, and the number of visits is growing by 100% p.a. Opportunities currently available on ABTAnet include a brochure ordering service, a Members' offers section, banner advertising and a trip request facility. Most of these opportunities are free of charge to Members. |
|
|
15. Consumer Awareness Items A selection of materials, including window stickers and consumer leaflets, are available to raise awareness and explain the benefits of booking with an ABTA Member. These are available in modest quantities, free of charge. For a full list of items, please ask for the Quality That Shows leaflet. |
16.Information for Clients ABTA can help provide you with advice and information for your clients, including Foreign Office advice, information about destinations, health advice and advice on visa and passport requirements. In the unlikely event that your client is unhappy with their holiday, our Building Confidence in Travel leaflet explains what they should do next. Much of this information is available on our website: www.abta.com. NEW - ABTA Agents at your Service-These leaflets help explain to consumers why it may be necessary for travel agents to charge service fees to clients. These are available in modest quantities, free of charge. Contact: ABTA Information Bureau |
|
|
17. ABTA Health Advice NEW - Ticket to Health - Information for having a safer, healthier and happier holiday. Free leaflets available for clients. Tropical Healthline - The latest health information on destinations around the world, provided by the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, is available as recorded telephone information or by fax. Calls are charged at 50p a minute. Free leaflets available for clients. Contact: ABTA Information Bureau |
Training & Recognition for You and Your Staff
|
18. ABTA Qualifications The standard examination-based qualifications for our industry, the ABTA Travel Agents Certificate (ABTAC) and the ABTA Tour Operators Certificate (ABTOC) are achieved by more than 3500 students, travel consultants and their managers each year. Available at both Primary and Advanced levels, participants can study through distance learning or by registering with one of TTC Training's partner colleges. (See 20: TTC Training). |
19. The ABTA Gold Training Award A benchmark of good practice and ABTA's own endorsement of expertise for travel agents, the Gold Training Award demonstrates that you and your staff take service training seriously. Industry experience and qualifications, and a programme of skills development might mean your branch is eligible for this prestigious Award. |
|
|
A wholly owned subsidiary of ABTA, TTC Training is the industry's principal training provider. As well as training those new to the industry, they train managers and sales and marketing staff, and can help analyse your company training needs. |
21. Regional Training Courses Designed and delivered by qualified, experienced instructors, and covering subjects such as telephone techniques, handling customer objections, selling insurance, and the internet, regional training courses are available at rates subsidised by ABTA. For a list of forthcoming courses, please visit our website www.abta.com/members.html. |
|
22. ABTA Travel Agent Regions Travel Agent Members are automatically affiliated to one of ABTAs 11 Travel Agent Regions. ABTA Regional groups hold regular meetings to discuss issues of interest and importance to Members; many also organise social events, training sessions and workshops. |
23. Tour Operators Forum Tour Operator Members are invited to air their views and discuss issues of interest at ABTAs Forum meetings, which are held periodically in locations throughout the UK. |
|
|
24. Member Open Days Regular Open Days are held at ABTAs Newman Street offices, and are open to long-standing Members of the Association, as well as prospective and newly-joined Members. |
25. The ABTA Convention The annual ABTA Convention is the worlds second largest travel industry conference. Business sessions give Members the opportunity to discuss and debate issues of the day and the future and also to network with colleagues in the industry. Delegates explore and learn about the host country destination. |
|
|
26. ABTAnet Discussion Forum A discussion forum in the Members Area of ABTAnet means that Members can exchange ideas and debate current issues via the Internet. |
|
27. ABTA Today NEW ABTA Today aims to keep Members informed of the latest developments and decisions made by the Association. Issued on the day ABTA's Board of Directors meets, ABTA Today is sent direct to all Members by fax or email. It is also available on our website www.abta.com/members.html. |
28. ABTA Magazine The monthly magazine for ABTA Members, ABTA Magazine keeps you in touch with key industry issues and news from the Association. Free to Members. |
|
|
29. ABTA Members Handbook Published annually, the Members Handbook is a comprehensive guide to the Association and a source of practical information about the industry and destinations. Free to Members. |
30. ABTA Seminars ABTAs Seminar programme has proved popular among Members and non-members alike. Topics covered to date include: Fraud and Crime Prevention, The Internet, Service Fees, Crisis Management, and Handling Complaints. Priority booking and special delegate rates for ABTA Members. Visit www.abta.com/members.html for an up to date list of forthcoming seminars. |
|
|
31. Destination & Special Interest Listings Whether you need to know which Tour Operator specialises in bungee jumping in New Zealand or who offers Singles holidays in Greece, these listings can be a useful tool for any Travel Agent. Please visit our website www.abta.com for further information. Contact: ABTA ABTA Information Bureau |
32. Credit Card Fraud Prevention NEW Designed to help Members combat the ever increasing incidence of credit card fraud, this easy to follow guide is packed full of useful tips. Details of suspected credit card fraud are listed on ABTEL which can be accessed from our website www.abta.com/members.html. NEW - Viking Direct is offering ABTA Members 50% off the list price for their UV lamps (ABTA branded) which can be used to recognise fraudulent credit cards and counterfeit currency notes. (see Reducing Costs - 6: Office Products to order). |
|
|
33. ABTA Indirect Tax Helpline Information and specialist advice about any indirect tax issue is available from the ABTA Indirect Tax Helpline. This service is completely free of charge to Members and covers taxes such as VAT, IPT and APD. The service is operated on behalf of ABTA by Deloitte & Touche. |
34. Health & Safety Offer ABTA has negotiated a special membership rate of £110.00 per site per year for Members wishing to join the British Safety Council (BSC) - the largest independent specialist occupational health and safety organisation in Europe. BSCs services for its members include unlimited access to their online information and support service - Safety Network - and substantial discounts on health and safety training, audits, and advisory services |
|
|
35. Surveys & Statistics ABTA periodically commissions research on industry trends and issues. Results are available to Members free of charge or at preferential rates, depending on the information required. |
Services for You and Your Staff
|
36. Mobile Phone Offer NEW Celltalk's mobile phone offer for ABTA Members offers savings of up to £100 off high street prices. The offer comprises a free Nokia 7110 handset (or Motorola Ti250e at £19.99), free accessories and free connection to one of two networks - Orange or Vodafone. Contact: Celltalk plc |
37. ABTA/IATA Travel Agent ID Card Available exclusively to Travel Agents, and recognised around the world, the ABTA/IATA ID Card enables you to take advantage of hundreds of travel-related concessions worldwide. Please visit their website at www.iata.org/idcard |
|||
|
38. ABTA Credit Card The ABTA credit card is offered in co-operation with MBNA International Bank Limited. The ABTA Platinum Plus Visa Card is offered to all Members. MBNA International Bank Ltd is part of the MBNA Corporation, which is the world's largest independent credit card lender with over 40 million Customers world-wide. To apply for an ABTA Visa card contact MBNA International Bank Ltd.* |
39. ABTA Private Healthcare Scheme The ABTA Private Healthcare Scheme has been designed specifically for ABTA Members. A comprehensive level of benefits combined with significantly reduced premiums makes private healthcare affordable for all Members. |
|||
|
40. Grouped Personal Pension Scheme ABTAs agreement with Prudential Assurance gives Members and their staff the opportunity to consider retirement provision through a scheme with enhanced benefits. |
41. ABTA Benevolent Fund The Fund, ABTAs own charity, is administered by a Board of Trustees who meet regularly to consider applications for assistance. Initially, the Fund received a grant from the Association, and it now raises money by its own activities. If you think you may be eligible, or if you know of someone else who could benefit,you should contact the ABTA Benevolent Fund. The Fund cannot be used to help those whose business may be experiencing financial difficulty. |
|||
|
Further Information While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, neither the publishers nor ABTA can accept liability whatsoever for any errors or omissions.
|