bawta 8pp.indd

The Voice of the
Wholesale Industry
Taking the strain for
Coach Operators since 1987...
www.bawta.co.uk
New Fares and
Packages for Coach
and Tour Operators
With year round sailings from the ports of both Newcastle
and Harwich, DFDS Seaways now offers real flexibility on
route combinations for access to Northern Europe,
Scandinavia and beyond. All our arrival ports are wonderful
places to visit - and are well connected to the main road
networks, assisting your onward journey.
From the moment you step onboard
there’s a real sense of occassion. A
floating hotel with fabulous food, live
entertainment and music to dance the
night away.
We have now launched our new Fares and advise operators
with volume business to contact us regarding 2006
programmes.
We look forward to welcoming you onboard.
With year round sailings from the ports
of both Newcastle and Harwich.
Call now for
• A fast quotation
• Details of our free driver and
meals offer
TO DISCUSS YOUR REQUIREMENTS PLEASE
CALL OUR DEDICATED NEWCASTLE BASED
GROUPS DEPARTMENT ON 08708 488 222
WWW.DFDSSEAWAYS.CO.UK
• Specialist destination advice
• The correct fare and discount
designed for you
• New product details
BAWTA 18 years on……
A
s the coach tourism industry
continues to face up to an often
increasing range of challenges and an
often ever more elusive set of opportunities,
there is no segment of the industry more
dedicated to – or reliant upon – the success of
coach tourism than the wholesale industry.
We believe, therefore, that we have an
important role to play in driving, innovating
and sometimes challenging the entire industry
as we all strive to succeed in an increasingly
competitive marketplace.
Since the formation of BAWTA in 1987
(and even earlier for some of our members!)
we have always channelled our passionate
belief in the success and future of the coach
tourism marketplace into a wide range of
major industry and company initiatives. These
have often had a significant and long-term
impact on the development of coach tourism
and have ranged from the formation of the
Coach Tourism Council through to the launch
of the annual Coach Tourism Show along with
numerous product and service innovations
introduced individually by our members.
As a result, the wholesale industry is now
firmly established at the heart of the coach
tourism industry with BAWTA members
generating over one million travelled bed
nights annually from UK based coach
operators on behalf of our supplier partners.
Successful wholesaling in today’s
increasingly competitive environment will
continue to rely on the spirit of entrepreneurial
innovation that has been the trademark
of BAWTA and its members for nearly 20
years. We believe through using a BAWTA
wholesaler coach operators and suppliers will
continue to benefit from a unique combination
of resources, industry experience and
commitment that is hard to beat and a natural
extension of their own, in-house resources.
The success of the wholesaling and coach
tourism industries are inextricably linked.
We look forward to continuing to succeed
together!
Sean Taart M.Inst.TT, Chairman
British Association of Wholesale Tour Agents
THE VOICE OF THE WHOLESALE TOUR INDUSTRY
BAWTA is the only trade association in the UK
specifically for tour wholesalers. It is a nonprofit making organisation whose objectives are
to promote the quality, public image and growth
of coach tourism and to represent and promote
the interests of British wholesale tour agents
and operators.
BAWTA Initiatives
BAWTA has been at the forefront of coach
industry innovation for 18 years and some of
its most important initiatives include:
• Coach Tourism Council (CTC)
– Originally the brainchild of BAWTA members,
the CTC was founded by BAWTA in conjunction
with a number of key industry suppliers in
1989. It was created as a PR initiative to
specifically promote the image and perception
of travel and tourism by coach. To this day, the
CTC remains the only industry body dedicated
solely to this aim and is supported by close to
400 members from every sector of the coach
tourism industry.
The Association was formed in 1987 to
recognise the increasing role of wholesalers
within coach tourism and give credibility to
an emerging industry and to ensure that
standards were set and maintained by
members, both from suppliers and customer
alike and to ensure that all members, suppliers
and customers are kept abreast of the latest
• Profit from service seminars - In
recognition of calls from coach operators
for more industry specific training, BAWTA
launched its exclusive profit from service
training seminars for coach operators in 2001.
These seminars were underwritten by major
industry suppliers and offered operators a
unique opportunity to take advantage of a
choice of brief training courses developed
exclusively for the coach tourism industry
and focused specifically on helping operators
increase their profit levels.
• The Coach Tourism Show – Launched
in 2003, this event is the only show dedicated
changes to the industry.
In addition it was set up to ensure
that standards were established for and
maintained by members, both from suppliers
and customers alike and to ensure that all
members, suppliers and customers be kept
abreast of the latest changes to the industry.
entirely to coach tourism and deliberately
scheduled to coincide with the start of the key
buying time for coach operators. By bringing
together a wide range of high quality and
influential industry partners from both the
UK and overseas during the peak planning
and purchasing period for the coach tourism
industry, BAWTA has created a unique and
valuable industry forum.
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Member
pr
Albatross Travel Group Ltd
Northern Sales Office
2/4 South Avenue
First Floor
Buxton
Derbyshire SK17 6JZ
Head Office
Albatross House
14 New Hythe Lane
Larkfield
Kent ME20 6AB
01298 73747
Tel: 01732 879191
01298 70200
Fax: 01732 522968
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.albatross-tours.com
Key Contacts: Sean Taggart – Managing director
Clare Godden – UK wholesale director
The Albatross Travel Group-Always one-step ahead
ofiles
Founded 1985
What makes us different…
Founded in 1985 The Albatross Travel Group has
continually improved its customer service and
range of products through innovative and unique
initiatives, which has helped make us the UK’s
largest tour wholesaler.
• Every client regardless of size has its own
designated service team – ensuring we really get
to know our clients!
• Our Partnership Charter, which details the
minimum service levels all Albatross clients will
receive, including guaranteed response times,
allocations & availability, quality products and
much more.
• Our unique Visit, Inspect and Grade
programme that promises that all brochured
Independent Coach Travel (Wholesaling) Ltd
Studios 20/21
Colman’s Wharf
45 Morris Road
London E14 6PA
The Innovation Centre
217 Portobello
Sheffield S1 4DP
Tel: 020 7538 4627
Fax: 020 7538 8239
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.ictsqt.co.uk
0114 224 2332
0114 224 3893
Key Contacts: Stephen Moore – Director
Ben Pinsent – General manager
Angela Heaton – Commercial manager
Botel Ltd
Founded 1988
50 Morthen Road
Wickersley
Rotherham
South Yorkshire S66 1EN
Tel: 01709 703535
Fax: 01709 703525
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.botel.co.uk
Key Contacts: Kevin Baum – Managing director
David Bridge – Sales director
Veronique Lefevre – Sales office
Curtis Harvey – Design, print and
web manager (Botel Design)
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What makes us different…
Since inception in 1984 ICT has delivered
unsurpassed levels of service and expertise
through a number of key initiatives:
• Disneyland Resort Paris online quotation
system – allowing access to instant availability,
prices and quotations.
• Knowledge base websites – the most
comprehensive database of hotels, resorts and
excursions in the industry.
• Exclusive loyalty scheme – operators are
rewarded for their loyalty and can exchange
What makes us different…
• Excellent value – we are constantly sourcing
the best deals on your behalf, from UK short
breaks to continental touring; helping you stay one
step ahead of your competitors.
• “Tailor made” services – we work to your
requirements to ensure you and your clients
get the holiday they want. Plus our excellent
tour enhancements give you a wealth of holiday
options.
• Marketing back-up – our commitment to you
continues, not only through our selling process,
but also yours. It is in our best interest to help you
market and sell your holidays better. With
hotels have been visited, inspected and graded by
a senior member of staff within the last 12 months
on their suitability for the coach market.
• The largest product team in the industry,
sourcing the best product, at the right price
365 days a year and all underwritten by our
comprehensive price guarantee.
• Contracted allocations and availability to
all brochure destinations-ensuring immediate
confirmation.
• A formal alliance partnership with Expense
Reduction Analysts (ERA), the UK’s leading
overhead cost management company. Ensuring
our clients save money any which way possible.
• Air Tours available ATOL 5116
Founded 1984
accumulated points for a wide range of brand
name gifts at the end of the year.
• Bespoke packaging service- allowing tour
packages to be tailored to customers’ unique
requirements and interests.
• Product range – the ABTA/ATOL licenses of
ICT’s sister company, South Quay Travel & Leisure,
allows a broader range of worldwide product to be
offered to operators including air, rail, and cruise
holidays.
itineraries, image libraries, specialist stationery
and our unique “Botel Design” service, we really
can make a difference.
• Operational back-up – we pride ourselves on
our comprehensive drivers’ packs, an invaluable
tool for you and your drivers. Maps, tourist
information, brochures, itineraries plus lots more.
An answer to your questions before you ask them.
• Unrivalled support- call us any time night or
day, we understand that information is not only
needed 9 till 5. Our 24 hour support gives you and
your drivers the peace of mind that a solution is
only a phone call away.
for p&ople who like
to travel in style
now your customers can enjoy even more
onboard when they travel by coach
[email protected]
call 08705 980 444
Member
pr
Greatdays Travel Group Ltd
Tel: 0161 928 9966
Fax: 0161 928 1332
Travel House
2 Stamford Park Road
Altrincham
Cheshire WA15 9EN
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.greatdays.co.uk
ofiles
Founded 1985
What makes us different…
• Family run wholesaler, with more than 20
years travel industry experience, offering an
excellent selection of middle class and luxury
hotels at special prices for group travel.
• Additional services offered include; guide
services, ferry and Eurotunnel crossings, Eurostar
reservations, flights, entrances to attractions,
theatre tickets, restaurants and more.
• Specialist departments with an ongoing hotel
inspection and quality control programme, UK
and Ireland, central Europe, Disneyland Resort
Paris and ATOL bonded Air Travel for world-wide
destinations.
• Our experienced team will be pleased to offer
help and assistance when planning your next tour
programme or to simply book a hotel for a group.
Key Contacts: Paul Beaumont –Sales director
Martin Slater – Sales manager
Norman Allen Group Travel Ltd
Portfield House
Daws Road
Hereford HR1 2JJ
Tel: 01432 277666
Fax: 01432 352041
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.group-travel.com
Key Contacts: Bronwyn Neal – Sales Manager
Laurie Kennard – Business
Development Manager
Paul Mallon - Managing Director
What makes us different…
• NAGT is the UK’s longest established tour
wholesaler - founded in 1972, in 2006 we
celebrate our 35th year of operating tours for
Coach Tour Operators and Private Group Travel
Organisers.
• Excellent range of destinations - Our
2006 brochure features almost 200 tours, to
destinations throughout Continental Europe,
Scandinavia and within the UK and Ireland.
All tours can be tailor made to suit specific
requirements.
Success Tours Ltd
Level 4 The Mill
Court Street
Trowbridge
Wiltshire BA14 8BR
Tel: 01225 764205
Fax: 01225 777520
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.success-tours.co.uk
Key Contacts: Paul Stratton – Managing director
Julie Roxborough - Business
Development Manager
Founded 1972
• Great choice of themed tours - Many tours
are based on popular themes such as gardens,
railways, food and wine.
• The Scandinavian specialist - We have
a detailed knowledge of Norway and the rest
of Scandinavia, with a proven track record of
countless successful tours over many years.
• The highest levels of service - We are proud
of our reputation for providing the very highest
levels of service and we are dedicated to working
with our clients to offer interesting, innovative and
high quality tours that sell.
• Air Tours available through our sister
company Greencastle Travel - ATOL 3683/ABTA
W1678
Founded 1980
What makes us different…
• Success Tours is a small and personal
wholesaler run by an experienced team of
individuals.
• Our philosophy is to provide you with
tours and products which will sell within your
marketplace/catchment area, and provide you with
the necessary support to do this.
• Our objective is to establish a long term and
mutually beneficial relationship with our clients
– and our repeat business of roughly 85 per cent
pays testimony to achieving this.
• Success can provide you with bespoke
packages throughout Europe and world-wide both
by coach and air (bonded via our ATOL 5114).
• We have great expertise in dealing with the
requirements of private groups, so you can rest
assured that the tour we propose for your private
groups will be tailored to suit their needs.
• Success Tours specialises in Italy, where it
has an in-depth knowledge and many years of
proven experience and successful operations.
T4 Travel Ltd Founded 1993
10a Newton House
147 St Neots Road
Hardwick
Cambridge CB3 7QJ
Tel: 01954 213121
Fax: 01954 213122
Email: [email protected]
Email: www.t4travel.co.uk
Key Contacts: Erica Duggan – Director
[email protected]
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What makes us different…
• We offer a comprehensive range of wholesale
travel services for group packages throughout the
UK and Europe.
• We pride ourselves on our personal service
and attention to detail.
• Tour itineraries are carefully planned in
conjunction with each coach operator or group
organiser to ensure they contain the appropriate
mix of destinations, planned visits, guided tours
and free time.
• Key areas include Belgium, France, Holland
and the UK and Ireland but we also cover
Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Czech Republic and
occasionally Poland.
• Predominantly the business is short breaks of
two to twelve night stays but some of our tours are
for up to twenty five days duration.
CASE STUDY
BAWTA members going the extra mile…
T
aking the drama out of a crisis!
A BAWTA wholesaler’s life is more
than just providing a hotel and ferry…
What would you do if your coach caught fire
en-route to an Italian lake resort?
When this happened to a BAWTA member’s
customer they proved to be in safe hands…
The wholesaler’s expertise swung into
action and in no time repatriation of the
passengers by air was arranged. Two
passengers who wouldn’t fly home were also
looked after as the BAWTA member booked
them rail tickets back to the UK.
In another incident, on a Sunday morning
a coach broke down in Germany en-route
to Croatia. The BAWTA member was able to
arrange a transfer for all the passengers by
local coach to a hotel in the area their Duty
Officer knew very well.
This just goes to show the efficiency and
expertise of the wholesaler’s 24 hour helpline.
In fact it’s not just abroad that unfortunate
incidents occur…
An incoming group from Australia, on a 27day tour of the UK lost an elderly passenger on
a visit to Oxford during the journey to Stratford
upon Avon. In a panic the tour operator
contacted the BAWTA member for help to find
the lost passenger. Using logic and with the
assistance of the British Transport Police they
eventually located the elderly and confused
passenger in Birmingham New Street Station!
These situations illustrate just a small
selection of the ways in which BAWTA
wholesalers help their clients every day, giving
coach operators that added peace of mind
that if things do go wrong, there is always
someone there to help out and put things
right..
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BAWTA Benefits
BAWTA members offer their clients a number of real benefits. Here are examples of three of them.
Code of Conduct - The minimum standards ALL BAWTA members must adhere to, but many exceed…
1. To conduct their business in accordance with
the following minimum standards:
a. Verbal estimates or quotations will be confirmed
in writing on request.
b. Quotations will clearly state the period
during which they remain valid and will clearly
state whether the prices therein are based on
reservations held by the member or are subject
to availability at the time of the client’s further
instructions.
c. A written confirmation should be issued within
21 days of a client’s acceptance of a quotation.
Confirmations will clearly state, in full detail, what
a member has arranged on behalf of the client
and the price to be paid by the client for those
arrangements.
d. Quotations and confirmations will clearly
state whether the prices are guaranteed against
alterations due to currency fluctuation or subject
to alteration as a consequence of future exchange
rate fluctuations. If prices are subject to alteration
the date of, or the exchange rates used in their
initial calculation and the method and date of their
eventual finalisation will be clearly stated.
2. To make all possible efforts to enable their
clients to comply with the Package Travel,
Package Holidays and Package Tours regulations
1992.
3. To act in a professional fashion at all times and
in all ways.
4. To accept the decision of a disciplinary
sub-committee formed by the Association’s
membership if any complaint regarding their
conduct made to the Association and considered
by such a committee is upheld. If three
complaints against them are upheld, members
are automatically and publicly expelled from the
Association.
Financial protection – Complete peace of mind…
All BAWTA members have voluntarily agreed to
protect advance payments by clients through trust
accounts administered by their external auditors.
Even though this is not a requirement of the
Package Travel Regulations for companies that do
not deal directly with the general public, it effectively
gives the same financial guarantee to coach
operators as they in turn give to their passengers.
Most BAWTA members, or their associate
company’s also offer air tours, which are protected by
an ATOL license, issued by the Civil Aviation Authority.
Repatriation Scheme – If things go wrong…
The Package Travel Regulations 1992 state, amongst
other things, the measures which all Tour Organisers
are required to have in place both to protect
consumer’s money and to ensure their repatriation in
the event of financial failure. Conscious of the impact
which this has on many small and medium-sized
coach operators BAWTA offers a simple and effective
means of complying with the law, particularly for
those operating their tours through registered trust
accounts.
For full details of the code and conduct and the
repatriation scheme log on to www.bawta.co.uk
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CASE STUDY
Here’s another example of going the extra mile...
F
or most coach operators outbookings have
become commonplace with some hotels.
The advantage of working with a BAWTA
wholesaler is the extended negotiating power
and influence that they can bring to bear
without coach operators or customers ever
being aware that there might be a problem.
BAWTA wholesalers have a proven track
record in solving problems before they even
get to the coach operator but on the few
occasions where this cannot be achieved it
still certainly pays to be working with a BAWTA
member!
One group that was booked by a coach
operator through a BAWTA member had
exactly this problem recently in Italy. The group
was already en route to Italy when their four
star main stay hotel in Italy advised that they
could no longer accommodate the group!
Despite the best efforts of the wholesaler, the
hotel dug its heels in and potential disaster
loomed.
Once it became clear that the original hotel
was not going to budge, all of the available
resources at the BAWTA wholesaler swung
into action and within a few hours the group
had been booked into a luxury five star hotel
in exactly the same resort in Italy. There were
no additional charges to the client for this
upgrade and all of their included services were
honoured by the new hotel.
Needless to say, the passengers were
delighted with their unexpected stroke of
luck and the coach operator came away with
his reputation not only intact, but actually
enhanced!
Make
Moat House Hotels
your No.1 choice
With over 30 hotels ideally located throughout the UK,
all of which offer comfortable bedrooms,
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facilities. Make sure you make Moat House
Hotels your number one choice.
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Comfortable bedrooms • Excellent restaurants • Relaxing leisure facilities • Friendly service
To make a booking call 08459 456 999
or visit www.moathousehotels.com
9
Information desk
A list of useful websites for reference to assist
you in your day to day tour operating.
www.bawta.co.uk
Refer to this site for a full list of BAWTA Members and
Associate Members and the organisation’s Code of
Conduct and activities.
www.tourist-offices.org.uk
The website of the Association of National Tourist
Office Representatives (ANTOR). Links to all the
leading tourist offices in London.
www.the-psa.co.uk
Access information on all the UK ferry operators.
www.doverport.co.uk
Check latest news of any sailing delays and sea/
weather conditions on the Channel.
www.travelex.co.uk
Today’s exchange rates and opportunity to purchase
foreign currency on-line.
www.met-office.gov.uk
Find out the latest weather conditions at home and
in Europe before you travel. Weathercall Holidays
is updated daily and offers the latest five-day Met.
Office forecasts and climate reports for more than
200 holiday resorts and cities worldwide.
www.fco.gov.uk
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office works for UK
interests in a network of over 200 diplomatic offices
around the world. Access the site for latest travel
advice.
www.prefecture-police-paris.interieur.gouv.fr
Latest Paris parking regulations. The French police
and the Paris City Council have regulated the parking
of touring coaches during the high season as over
1300 coaches run in Paris every day.
www.tfl.gov.uk
Information on coach parking in London. You can also
use this site to get further information about driving in
London and live information about what is happening
on London’s roads.
www.cpt-uk.org
The Confederation of Passenger Transport UK(CPT)
is the voice of the road passenger transport industry
in the UK, representing bus, coach and light rail
operators.
www.drive-alive.co.uk/distance.htm
Use the Drive-Alive mileage chart for driving
distances from the ferry ports to the major cities of
Europe.
www.aaroadwatch.ie/routes/ftop.asp
The definitive route planning website provided by the
Automobile Association.
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www.coachtourismcouncil.co.uk
The only organisation dedicated to promoting tourism
by coach. A consumer/media friendly site to promote
members coach holidays and excursions.
www.transportcafe.co.uk
A useful site as a reference point on legal driving
hours.
www.tensor.co.uk/english/wtd.htm
www.incomesdata.co.uk/information/
worktimedirective.htm
Two sites to guide you through the European Working
Time Directive. All companies will need an easy and
accurate method of recording their employees hours
and breaks so that they are not in breach of the new
EEC Directive.
www.disability.gov.uk
The Disability Discrimination Act aims to end the
discrimination which many disabled people face.
This Act gives disabled people rights in the areas
of employment and access to goods, facilities and
services.
www.europarl.org.uk/news/infocus/
R3oadTransportSocialLegislation2005.htm
Important new rules on organising the working time
of persons performing mobile road transport activities
to be enforced in 2009. These regulations will affect
the drivers of all coach operators.
www.customs.hmrc.gov.uk
A guide to Customs recommended amounts of
alcohol and tobacco travellers can bring into the UK
from EU countries.
www.dh.gov.uk/travellers
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) replaced the
E111 in September 05. This site has full details and
how to apply for the Card on-line
BAWTA thanks associate members…
Choice Hotels
City Cruises
Corus Regal Hotels
DFDS Seaways
Eurotunnel
Fjord Line
Groupe Envergure
Hilton Hotels
Irish Ferries
Jarvis Hotels
Moat House Hotels
P&O Ferries
Sarova Hotels
Seafrance
Stena Line
Wilshire Insurance Brokers
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