Apply early for March 2022 renewals: TTC quoted in Travel Weekly

TTC director Matt Purser recently spoke at the AITO 2021 conference advising tour operators to start to put together their renewal applications ahead of the 31 March 2022 deadline. Matt’s session was featured in the below Travel Weekly article.

“ATOL holders with licences due to expire in March are being urged to apply to renew as soon as possible.

Speaking at The Specialist Travel Association (AITO) 2021 conference, Travel Trade Consultancy director Matt Purser advised tour operators to start putting together their renewal applications now ahead of the March 31, 2022, deadline.

There are around 661 ATOL holders due to renew in March 2022. In September, the Civil Aviation Authority granted 871 ATOL licences by the official renewal date, at which point 118 applications were outstanding while 144 ATOL holders chose not to renew out of the total of 1,133 licences up for renewal. Of those who did not apply, 41 licence holders no longer required an ATOL.

Purser said:

“The advantage of the March renewals is that less companies renew in March than in September but I think you have to start the renewal process as early as you possibly can.“

“The problem is that if you wait until the end of January you will then be in a long queue of companies. You are better off renewing now than sitting on your hands.”

Purser said he believed many operators had chosen not to renew their ATOL [during the pandemic] because they “don’t want to do flights” following problems trying secure clients’ refunds for cancelled bookings.”

Read the full Travel Weekly article here.