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Sunday, 26 May, 2009
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TravelMole Guest Comment by Mike Greenacre, managing director,The Co-Operative Travel
I have been watching, listening and reading – even at 5.30 in the morning – to all the comments from a wide range of well known and respected people in the industry, most of whom have treated the first ever election of the chairman of ABTA with carefully considered and sensible comment.
As a board director of ABTA I am really concerned about the way in which the media have presented this David versus Goliath picture as it really is just not true.
I know that my colleagues around the ABTA board table totally respect each other and, whilst we all may have our own agendas, the fact is that when we sit around that table we are obligated in considering any debate to act on behalf of ALL the members and not just factions of it.
In his response to my open letter Noel alludes to his writing at 5.30 in the morning as if that is some kind of way in which only small companies can exist and that they have huge burdens like this that larger companies don’t have to contend with.
I write in a humble way when I tell you that I work at least 70 hours every week like many of my team to achieve our goals, including the input and work I do for ABTA, but I am not exclusive in this endeavour.
That’s because we want success and we are passionate about our business and our industry. This is an industry that is more than most others about people and their skills. That is what this election is about.
Much of the comment I have seen alludes to “the need to have Daniele in the chair” to ensure that the smaller companies are looked after and that has indeed been Daniele’s message.
As board directors and particularly as chairman that is neither our remit nor our responsibility as directors. We are elected by you, the members, to represent ALL OF THE MEMBERS not just a select element and we are regularly reminded of that at each board meeting.
I am also intrigued to understand why a limited number of independent companies continue to make comment along the lines that they are down trodden, not respected or even ignored.
I know when matters are debated, that is just not the case. I also never seem to be given clarity about what it is small companies believe they do not get from ABTA and trust me, I really would be happy, as I know John would be, to listen and listen hard to those concerns, for all I want to do in serving on the board is to make things more effective for ALL MEMBERS.
That is what John understands and that is what he will do if he is selected. We all need to pull together and not spend time trying to fracture the different parts of the industry to compete against each other. We must work together.
Noel talks about the backlash from the increase in fees last year, but the truth is there has been no mass exit from ABTA, despite these increases – the first for over six years – and like every other business ABTA will only survive on its net income.
On that point if you examine how that income is derived then the top five companies pay nearly 50% of the membership fees for example and contribute – because they can – significant other benefits to ABTA in terms of people resource, sponsorship and knowledge.
That is good for all members not just “the big boys” and that should not be underestimated.
I mention this in the context that Daniele has stated that he “will defer half the fees” if he is elected but he cannot make that kind of promise because it is simply not in his remit to do so.
These are matters for your elected board to consider as we do and that is why this year the fees have once again been frozen.
I was also dismayed by the comments from Daniele that he “will be more approachable than any previous chairman”.
Never mind the fact that Justin has been one of the most effective chairmen ever to sit at the head of the ABTA board, but he is the most approachable person you could ever meet and that is another reason why John would be the best choice, because he is not just approachable but in being so has the wide breadth of knowledge and experience to make his presence in anyone’s company, at any level, relevant to that person or issue.
Noel is also wrong in my view about how much importance we should attach to lobbying and how it both impacts and benefits ALL MEMBERS and here I would use APD as an example.
Large or small this swingeing tax imposition is going to impact on all of our businesses next year and I believe we have, as an industry, been completely ineffective in influencing government to take notice of this industry’s views. Again I believe that John’s experience would be more effective if he was elected to the chair.
Of course, currently Daniele is the representative on the board elected by smaller companies and he – and I am not patronising at all – has done a good job in getting across the independent agent view.
But at this point in time I genuinely believe that John has the necessary wider and broader skills and experience to lead the ABTA Board in a time of significant change.
In any event if he is elected it just means that independent agents have another voice around the board table whereas they may think that it is only one at present.
Above all of this, if this industry is to speak with one voice, particularly to government, to make a real difference to ALL OF OUR MEMBERS and to influence government thinking on tax and legislation burdens on our industry, then there really is only one candidate in my view and that is John McEwan.
I know that members will all think very carefully before they place their vote.
Phil Davies
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