Advantage agents kicked out of Triton
Advantage Travel Centres has been given one month’s notice to leave Triton due to its “lack of commitment”.
After that time, Advantage agents will not have access to the exclusive deals available to Triton members.
The move follows the decision by John McEwan to serve notice that Advantage will leave Triton at the end of the year.
At a Board Meeting today, Triton has also removed McEwan from the chair of the consortium with immediate effect.
In a statement today, Triton said its board feels that in the circumstances it is in everyone’s interest for McEwan to leave immediately and Advantage to sever links with the consortium as soon as possible.
“McEwan took over the chairmanship of Triton less than five months ago at its annual conference, giving onlookers reassurances of his and his team’s commitment, after initially encouraging his own members to boycott the event,” said the statement.
“Since then the board feels that McEwan has shown a lack of commitment to Triton despite being asked formally to demonstrate his support.”
Global chief executive and Triton director Andrew Botterill added: “It is regrettable that we have had to make this decision but we feel it is an essential course of action to give clarity to the situation.
“We have no problems with John as a person, but we do not feel he can take Triton forward. He took over as chairman in bizarre circumstances after initially urging Advantage members not to attend our annual conference.
“Since then we have asked for commitment in several areas, for example to our products and to a single independent conference, and this simply hasn’t materialised.
“Triton has had an excellent year and is on course to achieve sales growth for all products whilst introducing new destinations and services. It has a great future but we all know the economy will be tough in 2009 and we all need to pull together to support the original principles that have been compromised and diluted to keep Advantage appeased.â€
Fellow Triton director and Worldchoice Board member Bill Pickering said Worldchoice was giving considerable more support to the group.
“Worldchoice is pressing ahead with its merger with Travel Trust Association, but is still committed to Triton and we act together on key issues,†he said.
“Worldchoice is providing significantly more business for Triton than Advantage and that is due to a commitment from the top.â€
Triton plans to unveil a new chairman next week.
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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