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ABTOT is a Membership Association with over 300 Members ranging from small independent niche travel companies to multinational organisations. 30% of our Members have a strong presence in Adventure Travel and more and more Members are adding inspired Adventure and Volunteering travel holidays to their programmes. Whether as group tours or individual tailor-made holidays.
As well as Adventure Travel Organisers in Membership, our financial protection solutions are also popular with the following travel organisers who offer experiential travel:
- Educational, Volunteering and Gap Year Travel
- Safari & Wildlife travel companies
- Skiing & Winter sports
We are an Adventure Travel Networking (ATN) business partner and have been a regular contributor and speaker at their annual conference for the past few years. At this year’s conference, we learnt that demand continues to rise for adventure-style holidays. Data specialist Spike Insights Survey of 150 adventure travel suppliers revealed:
- Adventure Tailor-made tours have seen the fastest growth reported by one-third of respondents
- Adventure Group travel Tours and self-guided travel have seen growth.
With over 30 years of trading experience, we have honed our expertise in comprehending the unique business needs and risk profiles of niche travel companies and group travel organisers, particularly in ensuring compliance with UK Travel Regulations.
ABTOT is appointed by the UK Government Department for Business and Trade to operate a regulated financial protection bonding scheme for Travel Organisers who need to comply with UK Travel regulations.
FAQs
What regulations does a Travel Organiser providing a gap year or volunteering need to be aware of?A gap year or volunteering holiday is still likely to be a package which will require financial protection – it will include accommodation, transportation and possibly other tourist services as well depending on the destination and volunteer travel operator. If your company is packaging together these elements and creating a holiday for consumers/travellers which is more than 24 hours and includes a combination of travel services including transport and accommodation and other tourist services you will need to comply with the UK Package Travel Regulations. Find out more here Package Travel & Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations (abtot.com)
Are there any specific requirements for Travel Organisers to obtain Travel Bonds?Yes, Travel Organisers must be members of an approved body recognised by the Department for Business and Trade. These approved bodies, such as ABTOT (Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust) and ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents), oversee the bonding process and ensure that the bond meets the required standards to protect consumers in case of insolvency.
ABTOT also oversee the bonding process for ATOL holders applying for an ATOL licence through their ATOL Franchise. ATOL Franchise Program Solutions and Services | ABTOT
What benefits do Travel Bonds provide to consumers?Travel Bonds provide consumers with financial protection and peace of mind when booking travel services. In the event of a Travel Organiser’s insolvency, the bond ensures that customers can either receive a refund or complete their travel arrangements through alternative means, minimising financial losses and disruptions.
How to apply to ABTOT?The first step is to have a call with the Business Development Team who will be able to assess if you meet our criteria. If you do, you will be asked to provide supporting financial information for our underwriters to complete a financial assessment. If the underwriters are in a position to offer terms, they will provide the value of the travel bond or financial failure insurance required to protect your customers’ monies and any other conditions that are required for your Membership.
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Contact the ABTOT Team
Email the team Call the team on 0207 065 5313Request Call Back