15,000 Travel Agents To Join The Unemployed....

[Caribbean Beauty]

There is a plus in using travel agents that are ABTA registered as you do get that guarantee/support if your holiday hotel or airline goes bust and you are stranded in a foreign location. You don't get that, I believe, with Internet holiday booking???

I have to admit, having recently begun to look at holidays, that they are eye-wateringly expensive this year and that is even before you get anywhere and begin spending your spending money. No wonder so many Brits are staying at home in this grey, wet, miserable weather this year.

We are a non-ABTA internet booking agency and our British clients would always get their money back if they pay us more than 100 quid by credit card, if we take their money and run off to the windies for instance [err, hang on...] due to the CCA 1974.

But, you are correct in that someone stranded down-route if their non ABTA agency bought package holiday post tour-operator collapse would have to buy themselves back to Blighty with fresh ticketing on alternative planes, albeit with the comfort of knowing that good old Northern Rock Visa card will refund them later. Having said that, most airline-only ticket sales would be protected by ATOL, even if made by an approved retail agent, so one way or another folks should get some protection. The totally unregulated areas of travel these days seem to involve internet sales of concert tickets, Beijing Olympics and so on - internet shopping hazards for sure, unless that UK credit card is used and the amount is over 100 pounds. But these are pure scams.

Some intriguing internet scams in recent years have involved non-existent but nice looking and very attractively priced villas and hotels with great websites - they make loads of forward sales, then the website promptly disappears, as the property never actually existed but the website used pics copied from other places. It pays to do some research on review sites to avoid these issues. I feel sorry for the buggers who turn up in Orlando etc, only to find that the villa simply does not exist, with the kids screaming after a long flight! Nightmare. Probably explains why at least once every month a browser emails me an enquiry along these lines: " I am very sorry and do not mean to cause offence, but do you exist?" Very existential.

[SMAC67]

Thomas Cook closed it's shop in the High Street this week. I used to get brochures out of it for travel ideas. Haven't used a travel agent since 1999, and that closed about 7 years ago. You don't see many travel agents these days. A dying breed perhaps?

We now have no travel agents in our sizeable commuter town.

In addition, another estate agent went under as well. They sure are struggling these days. Every advert now has "new price" beside it, confess, it is really a "price reduction".......

The local shopping mall is also losing shops at a rate of one a week. Every time I go now, another one has bit the dust.

Charity Shops are doing well though.

[Mr Yogi]

end of retail as we know it.

EA's.Travel agents,bank branches,phone shops,what's gonna be left.

Estate Agents

Travel Agents

Mortgage Brokers

Insurance Brokers

What do they all have in common?

They're all just middle-men - selling on behalf of a third party.

While there will still be a market for their services it definitely does not require a face-to-face contact across a desk in a high street branch. It can all be done via a website.

The old business model of physical high street branches is completely dead.

Retail in general however, will survive. Small independent reatilers will move into the vacant shops one day...

...when landlords realise that the halcyon days are over and rents fall in half. The excellent new legislation on council tax on empty commercial property will help.

[Caribbean Beauty]

Estate Agents

Travel Agents

Mortgage Brokers

Insurance Brokers

What do they all have in common?

They're all just middle-men - selling on behalf of a third party.

While there will still be a market for their services it definitely does not require a face-to-face contact across a desk in a high street branch. It can all be done via a website.

The old business model of physical high street branches is completely dead.

Retail in general however, will survive. Small independent reatilers will move into the vacant shops one day...

...when landlords realise that the halcyon days are over and rents fall in half. The excellent new legislation on council tax on empty commercial property will help.

True - over the years those high street shops have been hit by competition from out of town developments, the internet and now recession should deal the final blow. Just like many pubs, I imagine that some folks will put in applications to convert them to dwellings - a common site in rural villages is old shops now acting as someone's living room. Coming soon to Average-Joechester high street. Was it Hitler or some other major historical figure (Napolean? escapes me) who said that "England is a nation of shop-keepers"? What would he say now: "England is a nation of indebted shopaholics".

[torquay lookout]

thomson travel agents have just closed in torquay highstreet along with a large dorothy perkins,three new units started in tail of the madness,completed turn of the year remain unlet,about six or seven shops at the top end (union st)have closed and remain unlet in last 12 months.estate agents hanging on with reduced staff,connels have removed their dumb posters claiming now is the best time to buy before the next boom starts and the weather is shit cold wet and raining every f**king day

[Caribbean Beauty]

thomson travel agents have just closed in torquay highstreet along with a large dorothy perkins,three new units started in tail of the madness,completed turn of the year remain unlet,about six or seven shops at the top end (union st)have closed and remain unlet in last 12 months.estate agents hanging on with reduced staff,connels have removed their dumb posters claiming now is the best time to buy before the next boom starts and the weather is shit cold wet and raining every f**king day

You are the King of gloom! Tell me if I am mixing Torquay up with Newquay, but if I am not, did you receive the isual annual influx of aussie, kiwi etc surfers this year or was it in decline along with your high street and weather?

[torquay lookout]

You are the King of gloom! Tell me if I am mixing Torquay up with Newquay, but if I am not, did you receive the isual annual influx of aussie, kiwi etc surfers this year or was it in decline along with your high street and weather?

torquay is south devon(torbay)newquay is cornwall,we have mostly traditional holiday makers and foreign students,the weather you cannot beleive it,i play internet poker all day but i like to take a break sit by the harbour with an icecream or sit in the sun but the weather has been well ****,as for as the economy,developments have been abandoned ,two major employers have closed or are closing uniq and milk processer,but i would prefer to be down here when shit hits the fan next year than some of shit holes up north,what everyone one should be focussing is the budget defecit probably heading for 100 billion next year. anyway i enjoyed your airline thread and i'am going out for my icecream the rain has stopped but its sill cold&overcast and good luck with your new life.

[yellerkat]

...along with a large dorothy perkins...

Tautology, surely?

[Caribbean Beauty]

CBI survey finds falling confidence in travel

(26 August 2008)

A survey by the Confederation of British Industry suggests travel firms have had a difficult summer despite recent positive trading by TUI Travel and Thomas Cook.

The study found business volumes at travel companies falling at the fastest rate for five years and the value of businesses and their profitability down for the second quarter in succession.

The quarterly survey of service-sector profitability concludes: "Travel services firms have had a particularly difficult quarter. Their business volumes fell at the fastest rate for five years." It warns: "Further steep falls are expected over the next three months."

CBI chief economic advisor Ian McCafferty said: "Profitability in the service sector is clearly under pressure."

The findings contrast strongly with recent quarterly results from the UK's leading travel groups, TUI Travel and Thomas Cook, showing demand for this summer in line with capacity and prices up year on year.

The survey of 176 firms across consumer service and business and professional firms was conducted between July 23 and August 6.

by Ian Taylor

[AteMoose]

http://news.ulookubook.com/Brits-Won%E2%80...0864164328.html

http://www.lamangaspain.com/news/Credit-cr...s-18749266.html

There have been a raft of articles saying that the credit crunch wont effect holidays or travel agents.... ;p

[Caribbean Beauty]

http://news.ulookubook.com/Brits-Won%E2%80...0864164328.html

http://www.lamangaspain.com/news/Credit-cr...s-18749266.html

There have been a raft of articles saying that the credit crunch wont effect holidays or travel agents.... ;p

Yes but it does not take Sherlock Holmes to spot that the articles claiming all is rosy in the travel industry garden, are, shock horror, based on reports and studies commissioned by the travel companies. They are ramping, and their ramping will become increasingly desperate until the receivers turn off their internet lines. Reminds me of the Titanic wireless operator who stayed at his desk until the last minute, sending out the SOS

[Tiger Woods?]

Estate Agents

Travel Agents

Mortgage Brokers

Insurance Brokers

What do they all have in common?

They're all just middle-men - selling on behalf of a third party.

While there will still be a market for their services it definitely does not require a face-to-face contact across a desk in a high street branch. It can all be done via a website.

The old business model of physical high street branches is completely dead.

Retail in general however, will survive. Small independent reatilers will move into the vacant shops one day...

...when landlords realise that the halcyon days are over and rents fall in half. The excellent new legislation on council tax on empty commercial property will help.

There is something to be said for being able to go into a store and handle the merchandise before buying. What is of course happening now is that scum like me go into the store...look at the products and then buy online if it is cheaper (which it generally is.) I've wondered whether there might be a transition where shops act as almost advertising sites for what are effectively web businesses...they are no longer assumed to be able to turn a profit from high street sales...a change in business model etc. etc. This might thwart independent retail scenario you outline.

I sort of presume that this is how the Warhammer 2000 business works, as I cannot see how they sell enough in-store to cover the cost of rents. Anyone have personal experience of how this company makes its money? They tend to have large stores, not in the main thoroughfares, but certainly in the shopping district.

Edited August 27, 2008 by D'oh

[The Conveyancer]

http://news.uk.msn.com/Article.aspx?cp-documentid=9376138

Meanwhile, UK carrier XL Airways has cancelled all flights to the Caribbean this winter due to the economic downturn and rising fuel surcharges, which have added about £100 to return-ticket prices.

sorry CB

[Caribbean Beauty]

http://news.uk.msn.com/Article.aspx?cp-documentid=9376138

Meanwhile, UK carrier XL Airways has cancelled all flights to the Caribbean this winter due to the economic downturn and rising fuel surcharges, which have added about £100 to return-ticket prices.

sorry CB

Thanks, but the sympathy should go to the 4000 pre-booked pax now hoping for refunds, including several large wedding parties (MEW weddings!) now having to pay double for seats on Virgin or BA. Gone forever are the cheap long-haul airlines like Excel and Zoom, plus the associated package holidays which were able to maintain keen prices by using the charters...henceforth with a couple of exceptions hanging on before death (eg Thomsonfly) the Caribbean is reverting back to 1980's flight profiles - expensive, chav free. A real blow to the hotels and workers of the region, especially those hotels under construction whose business model was based on plenty of bums on seats.

[Caribbean Beauty]

Another travel firm bites the dust - happening nearly every day now.....

Gatwick operator fails with 300 abroad

(29 August 2008)

Gatwick-based seat-only operator Pure Flights has failed with 300 UK holidaymakers abroad.

An ABTA member, the company offered charter flights from several UK airports to destinations in the eastern Mediterranean, including Turkey and Crete. It sold mainly through travel agents.

The Civil Aviation Authority estimates 1,000 customers have advance bookings and will lose their flights.

However, Pure Flights held an Air Tour Operators' Licence and passengers will be fully reimbursed under the ATOL consumer-protection scheme administered by the CAA.

Those due to travel should submit a claim to the CAA at www.atol.org.uk. The CAA will handle arrangements to fly those overseas home once they have completed their holiday.

[Caribbean Beauty]

And another one dies, happily trading since 1986 and ONE OF MY COMPETITORS!:

Travel agency ceases trading

(04 September 2008)

Van Haydon Travel in Leicester has ceased trading.

The travel agency, which also traded under the name Magenta Skies, pulled the plug on September 2.

LINKY: http://www.magentaskies.co.uk/

Any claims made by members of the public or suppliers should be referred to ABTA’s claims handling partner CEGA on 01243 621500 or email ABTAClaims@cegagroup.com.

All claims and supporting documentation must be received by March 2, 2009.

by Edward Robertson

Edited September 4, 2008 by Caribbean Beauty

[peahead]

How are ATOL and ABTA funded? Do they collect premiums?

If they have to keep paying out for all these failed companies, do travel firms and airlines get stung for higher premiums?

sorry if stoopid questions

[Caribbean Beauty]

How are ATOL and ABTA funded? Do they collect premiums?

If they have to keep paying out for all these failed companies, do travel firms and airlines get stung for higher premiums?

sorry if stoopid questions

They make money from sale of licenses (ATOL) or memberships (ABTA) but unlike many of their clients, they do squirrel away the funds during all the good years, which leaves plenty for the bad years (or at least it always used to in past recessions - this one might be a test!)

[peahead]

thanks CB

[Caribbean Beauty]

And another one, this agency was established in 1986 as Worldwide Tailor Made Holidays , then later on added an online agency Bluebookonline.co.uk and had offices in Kent. More unemployed ladies (not being sexist, they usually are ladies). It makes one wonder how a firm established 22 years ago can have made no £ provision for a downturn, especially after they went through 1990-92.....

Worldwide Tailor Made Holidays Limited

Sterling House, 150-152 High street, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 1BB

Trading as Bluebookonline

We regret to advise that, due to difficult trading conditions, the company ceased trading at 4.00pm on Tuesday October 7th 2008.

Agents who have prepaid for arrangements yet to commence should contact the Trustee of the trust account:

Mr P. R. M. Reader FFA

Marryat Reader & Co

62a King Harold's Way

Bexleyheath

Kent DA7 5QZ

In writing with evidence of payment to arrange a refund of monies received.

All payments in respect of travel arrangements not yet completed are 100% secure within the trust account.

[kingsgate]

Travel has followed the same trend as house prices over last 10 years. What happened to the camp sites on the continent so popular in the 80's?

They are still doing pretty well, I hear.

[mitchbux]

They are still doing pretty well, I hear.

I made a mental note of what was happening with the Eurocamp accomodation when we had a holiday in France this summer.

The tents were chocked full of Brits (saw one foreign car all holiday), the large luxury 'vans were having longer than ususal voids, and the smaller vans were mainly occupied by continental europeans. Felt a bit flash in a two bed 'van!

Stark contrast to last summer when the 'vans occupants seemed to all be Brits with new cars and/or 4x4's.

[steve99]

What happens with many smaller businesses, and I'm sure most travel agents are not immune to this, is that when the owners smell a major down turn, they start taking on company debt and then via clever accounting start loading up their bonuses and pension schemes, this extra debt then leaves the business vulnerable to whatever is going on, however the owner/s have effectively jumped ship before it has even sunk, letting the company go bankrupt. This happened to a marina down on the south coast last year, the ex-owner had loaded his pension fund up so high, he is now retired on £20K per Month. His ex employees of course got nothing. Just as with what's gone on in banking, much of what transpires in the back rooms of businesses is based on deceit and greed and immorality, even if legal. I learned a lot of these tricks when I owned a small industrial type business some years ago, however seems I had more ethics than many business men (that I personally knew at the time) when it came to looking after personal wealth at the expense of others.

Edited October 9, 2008 by steve99

[Caribbean Beauty]

This failure, today, upset me when I received the email this morning, then checked the shut-down message on the website:

http://www.ecobookers.com/

Ecobookers.com was run by a genuinely pleasant woman from Leeds, but closed down due to lack of bookings (am unsure if there were any fiscal issues behind the decision - anyone got a website where you can search by company name for those in administration?).

So in addition to everything else we have another .com collapse too - Expedia, Oppodo, Hotels.com (and my own company) etc all way way down on bookings and profits, losses are starting and folks rarely make much effort to keep online-only companies running when they start to make losses, as their is little in the way of tangible assets to support refinancing or resale efforts, unlike a chain with shops, staff etc. Cruises for 2009 are now available at half price, the cruising gravy train had dried up just at the moment when several new super-liners have come down the slipways.

We are all doomed, doomed I tell you!

[HenryWeston]

Ecobookers.com was run by a genuinely pleasant woman from Leeds, but closed down due to lack of bookings (am unsure if there were any fiscal issues behind the decision - anyone got a website where you can search by company name for those in administration?).

You could try here:

www.companieshouse.co.uk