ANTOR responds on DTCM issue.
IT IS with concern that I
write to you in response
to the article on the front
page of TNW, dated April 2:
“Agents left out of pocket by
‘endorsed’ operator”.
ANTOR (Association of
National Tourist Office
Representatives) represents
11 destinations, most of which
facilitate trade workshops
or road shows annually to
educate the trade on their
destination. In the majority of
cases the tourism board that
hosts the workshop is joined
by tourism product companies
and service providers who
are interested in getting more
business from our market.
While a tourism board, in
most cases, would not bring
any partner to our market
that has not been verified as
a suitable business match
to the audience targeted, I
am unaware of any of our
members, in any situation,
taking full liability on behalf of
any of these partners.
As mentioned in the article,
Quality Tours took part in a
Dubai Tourism workshop in
October 2012. They still had a
licence until March 24, 2014,
therefore there was no reason
for DTCM to question the
business practices of Quality
Tours, and therefore there was
no reason not to include them
in the road show.
While it goes without saying
that ANTOR empathises greatly
with those agents who were
financially compromised by
this Dubai operator going out
of business, it is completely
unreasonable to hold the
tourism board responsible
for this. If this is the attitude
we are to accept here in
our market then I fear it
will severely jeopardise
future educational workshop
opportunities for our trade, as
the tourism authorities would
not be able to risk the chance
of introducing our agents and
tour operators to potential
business partners. Is this the
message we want to put out to
our agents?
Hélène Bezuidenhoudt
President ANTOR
Southern Africa.
