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ABTA is the UK travel trade association for tour operators and travel agents.
History Previously known as Association of British Travel Agents, its name was changed on 1 July 2007 to ABTA, The Travel Association to reflect its wider representation of the travel industry. On 1 July 2008 it merged with the Federation of Tour Operators (FTO). Function For more than 50 years ABTA and its members have been helping holidaymakers to get the most from their travel by working to high professional standards and offering choice, value and quality. Consumer protection There is no statutory for airlines providing flight-only or other companies providing any accommodation-only holidays to give consumer protection in unforeseen difficult circumstances. ABTA looks after consumer protection from the tour operator end of the contract, which is in turn legally overseen by the Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (ATOL) scheme of the Civil Aviation Authority which came into effect in 1973. The ATOL regulations are the core of the consumer protection which ABTA members have to conform by; all UK-bought package holidays including a flight have to abide by ATOL. UK tour operators have to be ATOL-licensed by the CAA. For package holidays (provided by tour operators) there is also: - the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tour Regulations 1992, regulated by the BIS - all package holidays must have consumer protection.
- the Civil Aviation (Air Travel Organisers Licensing) Regulations 1995, regulated by the CAA - covers flight-only holidays bought from tour operators.
ABTA members protect themselves for consumer protection (unforeseen events) claims via the ABTA Protection Plan. Unforeseen events have mainly included travel operators going into administration or liquidation. The government, via ATOL and the 1992 and 1995 regulations, provides the obligations on travel agent consumer protection, and ABTA is the organisation that implements the insurance policies. ABTA's insurance policies are provided by International Passenger Protection (IPP) of West Wickham in Bromley. Structure As of November 2008, it had 5466 travel agent outlets, and 787 tour operators. 90% of package holidays in the UK are sold through its members, and about 45% of independent travel arrangements. It has eleven regional divisions. The head office is situated near Vinopolis and Southwark Cathedral. Its members provide around 90% of package holidays in the UK. See also External links
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