Building confidence in travel
ABTA has been at the heart of travel for more than 60 years. Their purpose is to help you – the travelling public – have confidence in your travel experience. 70% of UK consumers see ABTA membership as an essential when booking a holiday. ABTA's Code of Conduct, financial monitoring activity and wealth of expertise and experience are the foundations on which they have built a strong and enduring level of consumer trust. The ABTA brand stands for expertise, reliability and fairness.
ABTA Members and their customers navigate through today's changing travel landscape by providing schemes of financial protection and a course of redress if something goes wrong; by raising standards in the industry and by giving guidance on issues from sustainability to health and safety; and by presenting a united voice to government to ensure the industry and the public get a fair deal.
The voice of UK travel & tourism
As the UK's biggest travel trade association, ABTA is well placed to represent the views of the industry in government and among key opinion formers. ABTA's in-depth industry knowledge and experienced team enables them to engage with authority and confidence with key influencers, in the UK and abroad. They are working to develop an infrastructure that will sustain consumer confidence in travel, help the industry thrive and enable businesses to grow. Recent initiatives that ABTA has lobbied on include the call for A Fair Tax on Flying; a drive to extend the government's ATOL scheme to ensure all holidays are finanically protected; and a review of the European Package Travel Directive.
ABTA receives nearly 30,000 calls per year from members of the public looking for reassurance or information on a range of matters, from travel advice on destinations experiencing geo-political events or natural disasters, to guidence on refunds. They also provide a trusted and effective route of redress for any consumers dissatisfied with a Member's service. Their work with other organisations is pivotal to improving standards in the industry. For example, they work with the Civil Aviation Authority, airports, the Department for Transport and disability groups to improve the air passenger experience and ensure accessible travel for all, whilst their Health & Safety code of practice ensures continuing improvements in safety awareness and practice.
Leadership in times of crisis
UK holidaymakers and business travellers now visit more destinations, in more remote and diverse parts of the world, than ever before. Exceptional events, disruptions and emergencies can occur anywhere, often when least expected. It is at this time that ABTA plays a leading role in managing the impact on holidaymakers and ABTA Members, through their crisis management procedures and by close liaison with the FCO, destinations and Members on the ground to gather intelligence and provide advice. Their round-the-clock updated via text and email equip Members with the information they need to support staff and customers, while their 24/7 press operation means that they are always ready to provide a response as the story is played out in the media. Once the immediate crisis is over, ABTA continues to work with Members, destinations, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the media to help manage any ongoing impact.
Want to know more?
You'll find lots of useful information on our website so you can learn all about ABTA and Midcounties. Have a browse around our FAQ which aims to answer any queries or concerns you may have. You can also have a nose at the ABTA and Midcounties official websites. You will find all of the relevant links towards the top of this page.
We're here to help
We've set up a dedicated helpline so you can speak directly to a human being at Blue Bay Travel. Should you have any questions that haven't already been answered or if you need assistance, please feel free to give our helpline a call on 0844 371 4015.
ABTA, the UK's largest, most recognised and most trusted travel industry trade body