Agents hit out at increase in Abta membership fee

Abta members have criticised Abta for hiking its fees, saying the increase doesn’t take into account the post-Covid pressures many still face.

They told Travel Weekly that many are trying to pay off Covid loans and felt that Abta should do more to trim its own costs.

Members were informed in an email last week from Abta head of membership Danny Waine that annual subscription rates will rise by 8.5% – and must be paid in one payment in July.

More: Comment: Did Abta do right by members during the pandemic?

An Abta spokesperson said: “Abta’s board, comprised of Abta members, has decided to increase member subscription rates by 8.5% for the 2023-2024 membership year. This increase is below inflation.

“We are not immune from inflationary pressures ourselves meaning that a smaller increase in subscription rates is not possible if we are to continue providing the services which members tell us they want.

“During the pandemic, Abta cut membership fees by 50%, funded by our reserves, and a year in which Abta experienced a £3 million loss.

“As Abta enters the second year of a three-year business plan, Abta’s board has confirmed that it is prepared to continue to access Abta’s reserves, on a reducing scale over that three-year period, to minimise subscription increases.

“As indicated to members this time last year, and with the worst impacts of the pandemic over and member cashflow typically recovering, Abta will revert to its usual process of one annual payment, due on 3 July 2023, and each July thereafter.”

One agent told Travel Weekly that other agents he had spoken to were unhappy with the comment in the email from Waine about the fee hike being less than the rate of inflation.

“Many agents are still paying off [Covid] bounce-back loans, and expecting them to pay all of the fees in one go is really difficult for them,” he said.

“The general consensus is that Abta should be looking at savings in their overheads, such as getting rid of the costly central London offices and reducing the number of highly paid executives.

“Is it really necessary for them to be at every conference and travel event around the world, travelling at members’ expense?”

Another commented: “Members are feeling alienated by Abta as they seem to have no concept of what members have been through, and still are, with paying bounce-back loans.

“The members I have spoken with feel that Abta could cut costs by getting rid of the London HQ, when most of them seem to work from home anyway, and by reducing their wage bill.”

Meanwhile, another agent told Travel Weekly: “The price increase is disappointing because we are still recovering and have loans to repay. There is still a great deal of debt in the industry and interest rates have gone up.”

More: Comment: Did Abta do right by members during the pandemic?