Travel Counsellors Call for Clarity on Consumer Protection

Leading independent travel company Travel Counsellors is launching a new website to highlight the current issues surrounding consumer financial protection in the travel industry.

The new website, ismymoneysafe.co.uk, is being launched in advance of a new set of proposed guidelines for consumer protection devised by Company Chairman David Speakman in response to the collapse of a number of travel suppliers over the last twelve months.

Comments Speakman, “Whilst thousands of travellers have been stranded abroad or left without a holiday in recent months, the travel industry is losing its reputation. The withdrawal of ABTA protection in 2006 has been misunderstood by the trade, the media and in turn, the customer, resulting in the concept of travel financial protection being more complex and harder to understand than ever.”

Speakman is proposing a new scheme, which he believes should be applied industry wide and backed by the government to ensure that customer’s money is completely protected.

The benefits of Speakman’s proposal for the customer include;
• Easy to understand guidelines
• Radically increased protection providing comprehensive cover for the full range of travel products, including scheduled flights
• No extra charges

The benefits for the trade include;
• A transparent and simple framework with lighter regulation and no bonding
• Empowered to take a more prudent approach through a viable business model
• A prediction that travel suppliers will be less likely to collapse with the new scheme.

Speakman’s plans will be featured in full on the new website in the coming weeks. The website currently features a guide to travel protection and aims to help the travel trade and media to better understand the issues, and encourage a platform for debate by asking all travel suppliers to submit their policies on consumer financial protection.

Comments Speakman, “Booking a holiday is usually a considered purchase, and many people save their money in order to enjoy a well-earned break each year. The public have the right to know that their money is completely safe when they do so. We have launched the new website, ismymoneysafe.co.uk, to address the need for clarity and encourage a healthy discussion on the matter.”

As one of a handful of companies in the industry to operate a financial trust, Travel Counsellors provides a unique guarantee that covers absolutely every element of the booking, from car hire to low cost airlines.

Comments Speakman, “Scanning the news for profit warnings is unlikely to be many people’s idea of planning for a holiday. Consumers must now realise the value in booking with agents who can offer complete financial protection. The industry along with Government must face the responsibility of fully protecting customer money rather than looking at ways to avoid it. In the long run, some time and effort spent addressing the issue now will place the travel industry in the hearts and minds of the consumer as the very best at providing financial protection.”

Tags: ismymoneysafe.co.uk, Travel Financial Protection