Latest Atol renewals ‘very stressful’, say regulatory specialists

Leading accountants handling Atol renewals have described the latest batch as particularly challenging, claiming many travel companies started the process at the “last minute”.

Atol holders wishing to continue selling holidays must renew their licence every year before its expiry in either March or September.

Travel Trade Consultancy director Martin Alcock (pictured) said the most recent raft of renewals had proven to be a “nightmare”, while Chris Photi, head of travel and leisure at White Hart Associates, described recent weeks as “very stressful”.

During Travel Weekly’s Future of Travel conference last week, Alcock said: “Everything seems to have been really last minute… I don’t remember this last week being quite as busy as it has been.”

Asked why companies had delayed starting the process in this renewals round, he said it was difficult to identify one reason in particular.

He added: “The application process involves a bit of budgeting and forecasting and gazing into the crystal ball as to what next year looks like.

“You would think the really difficult years of that are behind us, but evidently not – I think there’s a bit of confusion about how things are going to pan out and maybe that’s the genesis of it.”

Photi suggested some of the delays might have been caused by the CAA potentially raising its requirements since the pandemic.

“Everybody seems to have been late and that means everything stacks up,” he added, noting the knock-on effect had been extra pressure being placed on accountants and the regulator.

Photo: Martin Alcock, left, during Travel Weekly’s Future of Travel conference 2024. (Credit: Alex Maguire Photography.)