Voting for ABTA chairman begins
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Ballot papers to decide who will become the next ABTA chairman are to be sent from today (6 June).
The association’s members have the chance to elect All Leisure Holidays’ Roger Allard or Sunvil Holidays’ Noel Josephides as the next chairman, with the ballot deadline set at 28 June.
Both candidates have been campaigning to the travel industry for votes, outlining their priorities if elected.
In a recent media statement, Allard said under his leadership he would look to unite all members of the association and focus on reducing costs and red tape. This would include limiting bonding charges; looking into insurance and consumer protection such as the ATOL scheme.
“I’d like to find a way to bring costs down for members, while maintaining protection for consumers and I want to look at the pointless ‘extra-bonding’ position (i.e. credit cards) many travel businesses find themselves in. I want to de-burden members where possible and definitely not see more bonding charges – I want to reduce business operational costs and red tape for retailers and tour operators alike,” he explained.
Josephides has made the consumer the focus in his voting campaign, placing emphasis on customer financial protection and as a result maintaining ABTA as a trusted brand.
“It is my aim to make the consumer the focus of everything that the association does. If we can satisfy the consumer, and if we make the ABTA symbol synonymous with fair play, reliability, quality of service and financial security, then that will, in turn, safeguard our future within this very competitive and unpredictable industry. ABTA members must understand that their customers are a very precious commodity; ABTA is there to guide us in terms of looking after our clients,” he added.
Below we’ve outlined the history of the two candidates, but you can find a more detailed proposal from both on ABTA’s website.
The new chairman will be announced in early July.
CV – Roger Allard
Job: Executive chairman, All Leisure Holidays
First job in travel: Saturday job at Vista Tours aged 14
Career progression: Worked up through Vista Tours; one of founders of Owners Abroad which became First Choice where he was group managing director until 1993, when he acquired All Leisure.
Aviation kudos: Helped CAA repatriate customers affected by XL Leisure collapse
ABTA history: Rejoined ABTA board on 1 February 2013. ABTA director from 2004-2007, represented association Air Travel Insolvency Protection Advisory Committee (ATIPAC) and the Appeals Committee and was vice chairman of TOSG (now FTO) for five years
What he says: “People have been asking me why I want the role of ABTA chairman. The travel industry has been good to me and I feel I have the knowledge and expertise to benefit the ABTA membership and I’d like to give something back. It would be an honour and the pinnacle of my travel industry career to be elected.”
CV – Noel Josephides
Job: Founder and managing director, Sunvil Holidays
First job in travel: Selling property development in Cyprus, where he built contacts in tourism sector
Career progression: Set up Sunvil in 1973 with John der Parthog and still both partners. Helped set up AITO where he has been deputy chairman and chairman. He is chairman of the Association of Greek Travel Agents (AGTA) and deputy chairman of Association of Tour Operators to Portugal (ATOP).
Innovation: Sunvil was selling dynamic packages before the internet sparked a boom and championed sustainable tourism way back, as shown in his role of chairman of The Travel Foundation
ABTA history: On ABTA board since 2006. Thirteen years on the Air Travel Insolvency Protection Advisory Committee (ATIPAC)
What he says: “I am a realist and do not want to promise any of you something that I cannot deliver. Whatever happens, I will strive to ensure fair play and a balanced approach to every issue. I believe that the time has come for a smaller independent to head the board.”
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