THERE are differences between
the various ITC models in the
South African market and
these differences need to be clearly
showcased to avoid all ITCs being
tarred with the same brush by
consumers.
This is one of the “specific views”
that Travel Counsellors gm for South
Africa, Mladen Lukic, plans to air,
using the Asata platform.
Travel Counsellors and its 143
agents have officially joined Asata as
members. Mladen says the decision
to join is the result of the two parties
having reached common ground on
the group’s model. “We have always
supported the value of Asata and
even joined the association in 2007.
Our decision to leave was, at the time,
due to different points of view of retail
travel segmentation.”
The fact that ITCs are all tarred with
the same brush is a huge problem,
not only for Travel Counsellors but also
for the industry in general, Mladen
says, particularly when fraudulent
incidences occur, which involve ITCs or
home-based agents. “The mere fact
that people work from home, doesn’t
make them identical,” he says.
This echoes the sentiments of
eTravel ceo, Garth Wolff, who, at the
launch of the group’s recruitment
video, drove home the point the
would-be ITCs must understand the
difference in the options open to
them. All eTravel ITCs are members
of Asata.
A recent example is the alleged
fraud by ITC Kim Robbertse,
which was covered extensively in
the consumer press in December
last year (see TNW January 21,
2015). “Suddenly, all ITCs have
become one undistinguishable,
faceless mass. It’s preposterous,”
says Mladen. Not only will these
kinds of views taint the consumer’s
perception of ITCs, they will also stifle
opportunities for people who want
to start their business in the travel
industry.”
Mladen says the main reason Travel
Counsellors exited the Asata fold was
because the association had insisted
on classifying Travel Counsellors as a
consortium. “We’re not a consortium
and never have been. We are a singleentity
company.”
Mladen says the differences
between a consortium and a singleentity
business are considerable
and have a wide-reaching impact
on a number of business practices,
including supplier relationships. Each
ITC operating under the umbrella of
a consortium will also have its own
commercial process as well as its
own bank account. Travel Counsellor
ITCs, on the other hand, report to a
head office with one centralised bank
account.
The decision to join Asata now,
ensures that Travel Counsellors adds
its voice and influence to that of the
association’s, resulting in helping
to strengthen the travel industry in
general, says Asata ceo, Otto de
Vries.
As more travel companies join Asata,
the association increases its role as
an unofficial regulatory body for an
unregulated travel industry,
says Otto. Asata ensures that
all its members are financially
sound by auditing them on an
annual basis, he adds.
“We also ensure our
members abide by stringent
membership criteria, which, in
turn, mitigates the risk to the
consumer.”
ITCs whose financial risk
is not carried under a head
office, like that of Travel
Counsellors or eTravel, for
example, will require annual
auditing in their own right to
be an Asata member.
