ACTA Thanks Suppliers

ACTA is applauding the flexibility of suppliers during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Wendy Paradis, president of ACTA, points out that many travel suppliers — including airlines, tour operators, cruise lines and others – have been adjusting their cancellation policies and terms and conditions to accommodate a nervous public and assist front line agents with finding options for their clients.

Said Paradis, “Some clients are anxious about upcoming trips and want to know their options, or they are looking to change destinations or postpone travel. Travel agents have told ACTA they really appreciate how some suppliers are really working with them to accommodate clients and offer them viable options.”

Among the policies that agents are seeing are suppliers waiving penalties for date changes or destination changes. In some cases, suppliers are allowing clients to cancel and for a full credit.

“Of course, where there is a travel advisory against non-essential travel, most suppliers are allowing changes or an alternative itinerary,” she noted.

And Paradis continued, “Each day we are seeing new initiatives from suppliers and I expect this will continue … we are all in this together and it is great to see the industry pull together like this during this emergency.”

Paradis said it is not just leisure clients who are being affected but business travellers too. Some companies are starting to restrict employee travel and conferences and conventions are being postponed or cancelled at the moment and Travel Agents are seeing airlines and hotels become much more flexible with business travellers too.

ACTA’s president concluded: “On behalf of our members, we just want to say “thank you” to all the suppliers who are proactively evolving their policies to better serve our customers.”