SPA A TODAY
17 March 2017

Your weekly round-up of SPAA news - including the President's remarks, coming events and all the latest product and people news from our Associate Members ... be sure to scroll down!


From the President

To EU or not to EU, that is the Question.....


There are a couple of travel related matters that have come to light recently that make me question the logic of pursuing and implementing EU legislation and regulations, when we are about to trigger article 50 and start the process of leaving the EU.

Firstly, is the new EU Package Travel Directive (PTD) which is scheduled for implementation in April 2018. This might seem crazy, but ever since I've been in this travel industry, the regulators have struggled to actually define what constitutes a 'package'. 

If you think it is complicated at the moment with a 'package' ATOL and a 'flight plus' ATOL, both of which are types of package (but with different liabilities for the Agent/ATOL holder) then it seems to me that it is about to get even more complicated with the proposal to get rid of 'flight plus' but introduce a new classification  of a 'linked travel arrangement'. 

Now I consider myself fairly savvy about the various travel regulations, but I've read over the new proposals and I honestly find it very difficult to get my head round this stuff. It's an EU bureaucratic nightmare! 

Our ATOL system currently offers better protection than is on offer in most EU countries (as the Low Cost Beds failure revealed) - why change it drastically to accommodate these fiendishly complicated new proposals, when we are so obviously on our way out of the EU?

The other item that has come to light is the fact that under new EU regulations again to come into effect in 2018 - agents will no longer be able to pass on Credit Card charges to the client. That may not seem like a big deal, but with the tight margins that we operate on within the travel business, we could end up losing up to a fifth of the profit margin on a booking by having to absorb these charges. That's absolutely huge! 

These new regulations tend to come in under the radar and before you know it - the bottom line takes a massive hit! 

I honestly think that as an important UK industry, we need to be more aware of what's happening out there, find our collective voice and say, enough is enough. We don't want or need this stuff and who exactly are we trying to please by implementing it?

On a lighter note, we are looking forward to our first Scottish Travel Agents Roadshow (STAR) event of the year at the George Hotel in Edinburgh on the evening of the 30th March. As usual there will be some fabulous prizes on offer and with over 50 exhibitors, it's bound to be an interesting and eventful evening! 


Alan Glen  SPAA P resident
17 March 2017




Don't miss  STAR Edinburgh on Thursday 30 March 2017
Principal Edinburgh George Street Hotel - 6.00pm
email jhogarth@spaa.org email




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EVENTS CALENDAR - 2017
NEW Twitter #Hashtags NEW
       
    
     Thu 30 March STAR Exhibition Edinburgh  George Hotel     #STARedi
                              
     Thu 20 April Spring Seminar & Lunch Blythswood Square, Glasgow     #SPAAlunch
    
     Tue 09 May Travel Quiz Heat Glasgow Blythswood Square Hotel     #SPAAquizgla                    
     Tue 16 May Travel Quiz Heat Edinburgh Hilton Edinburgh Carlton     #SPAAquizedi             
     
     Tue 23 May Travel Quiz Heat Aberdeen  Douglas Hotel     #SPAAquizabz                             
     
     Thu 01 June Travel Quiz Final Glasgow Travel 2     #SPAAquizfinal                 
      
     Thu 29 June Summer in the City Balmoral Hotel Edinburgh     #SPAAsummerball                                 
      Thu 24 August Golf Day Lanark Golf Club     #SPAAgolf
                   
     Thu 07 September Autumn Seminar & Lunch Hilton Edinburgh Carlton     #SPAAlunch
     
     Thu 14 September STAR Exhibition Aberdeen  Douglas Hotel     #STARabz                              
     
     Thu 02 November Annual Travel AwardsDoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow     #SPAAawards                
     Tue 21 November STAR Exhibition Glasgow DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow     #STARgla                              
     Thu 07 December AGM & Christmas Lunch 29 Club Glasgow     #SPAAchristmas



NB for details visit  www.spaa.org or contact Janice Hogarth at jhogarth@spaa.org
all event details are subject to change



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SPAA voice of travel

Gemma Carpenter to 
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It's week nine of our travel trade competition!
The amazing prize this week is two return flights to Amsterdam with  KLM Royal Dutch Airlines!
To get involved follow the below link and watch out for more exciting prizes to come!
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Balkan Holidays Summer 17 Late Deals are now on sale for May departure dates from both EDI and GLA. With prices from £252pp and Transfers and 20kg baggage included in price. More dates to follow shortly...


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Do Something Different

Travel agents. Don't forget the 25% off Disney Offer expires on the 29th March.
Contact your customers now to let them know. They will get REAL official gate ready tickets, FREE memory maker and over £100 off per person. Prices must go up at the end of the offer. We don't even require a deposit to book woop!



John Booty shared a  link
Wendy Wu Tours
See the very best of India on a guided tour with Wendy Wu Tours. Choose from escorted group tours, private tours or short breaks, and everything from classic introductory India tours to luxury adventures guided by our experts



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