The Guild of Travel Management Companies (GTMC) has called on the government to exclude business travel from its planned ATOL reforms.
Under current draft proposals, airlines will be forced to contribute to the ATOL scheme to better protect leisure travellers, something welcomed by the GTMC.
The organisation has expressed alarm, however, at the possible inclusion of business travel in the proposals.
“The document does not adequately define business travel,” said the GTMC in an official statement filed with the Department for Transport.
“The GTMC believes there needs to be a clearly understood definition of business travel as delivered by travel management companies.
“We believe that business travel should be specifically excluded.”
Given the continued uncertainties around ATOL reform, the GTMC has called on the government to delay the implementation of any changes from January until at least July 2012.
The GTMC warned that if current plans go ahead, the business travel market could see a “significant impact”.
“We believe that the current proposals are flawed, in both content and timing, and will increase confusion and add further complexity to the travel sector,” it added.
“Insufficient attention has obeen paid to the business travel sector, a vital cog in the wheels of UK plc, and there is little recognition of the services TMCs provide to business travellers and the nature of this relationship.”