transparency is, government is quite
wrong to think that TMCs can continue
to provide it with services it is used to
without somehow being recompensed.
Transparency can be served by
adequate service fees – not fees
agreed to in the past when there were
other sources of income, which are
now discontinued. The truth is that
previously, in various ways, airlines and
hotels effectively subsidised these
service fees. By Treasury putting a
stop to that subsidy, government must
accept higher service fees.
TMCs would be best advised to
withdraw their systems and services
as soon as their contract allows, rather
than face a tortuous death.
The government cannot use people
who are not specialists in travel to do
bookings. It is too expensive in time
and costs. Without systems that
TMCs provide, they will quickly
come back to the table to talk more
reasonably to TMCs.
Sadly, the Treasury has not learnt
from Home Affairs’ unabridged birth
certificate debacle. They have not
thought through the unintended
consequences of these new
measures.
