ATAS pullouts continue

MORE than 80 participants have withdrawn from the AFTA Travel Accreditation Scheme over the last three months, most of them voluntarily withdrawing due to their businesses closing.

According to updates on the AFTA website, the pullouts include 10 Helloworld branded members including Helloworld Jannali, Helloworld Mount Lawley, Helloworld Ballarat, Helloworld Mt Barker, Helloworld Applecross, Helloworld Langwarrin, Helloworld South Perth, Helloworld Atherton, Helloworld Croydon Hills and Helloworld Mt Ommaney.

Other agencies which have cited “business closure” for their withdrawal include Epping Travel, The Travel Haven, Our Travel & Cruise Experts, Maitland World Travel and TKT Travel and Cruise.

Platinum Travel Management Albury, Alpha Travel, Directions Travel WA, Tertiary Travel and italktravel and cruise Midland are among the closures, along with Jetaway Travel, All Things Travel Lara, Best of the Kimberley, Magic Travel and italktravel & cruise Castle Hill (TD 23 Aug).

As well as the closures, almost 40 other travel businesses are listed as voluntarily withdrawing from the scheme over the period, with no reason cited.

The list of withdrawals is currently up to 23 Aug, with more expected as financial stress on the industry mounts.