The Travel Convention 2011
Please click here for the presentation by WHA’s head of travel Chris Photi at the 2011 Travel Convention:- The Travel Convention Chris Photi
HMRC’s New Penalty Regime
From 2010-2011 H.M Revenue and Customs have dramatically increased the financial penalties for late submission of self assessment returns. These penalties are in addition to the increased penalty regime introduced in April 2009. Annexed is a resume of their new powers and new penalties which do not just relate to late submissions but also to…
Understanding the annual investment allowance
When the previous government doubled the annual investment allowance (AIA) from £50,000 to £100,000, the response was widely received in positive manner. It was also a way for the former government to keep our businesses spending to apparently “stimulate growth” within the economy. However, since the coalition government gained power the “goal posts” have subsequently…
Atol trust guidance palms off failure liability to agents
Agents must sort out their ‘abysmal’ documentation, and the CAA must be clear who it is protecting, says Chris Photi The Air Travel Trust Fund’s notice yesterday advising travel companies to make sure their Atol documentation is in order was not unexpected. Bluntly, the sales documentation issued by many travel businesses is abysmal. This was…
Reaction to the March 2011 budget
See below for my initial reaction to the Chancellors speech and budget for 2011:- Budget 2011 Travel Weekly article For a more detailed analysis of the individual taxation changes and implications view a copy of our budget summary below:- WHA-Spring-Budget-2011-Summary
OTAs selling no-frills flights can ‘sidestep’ ATOL reforms
“One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”? Yesterday’s Atol reform announcement by the aviation minister was little more than a baby step albeit in the right direction. She has gone for a quick fix through secondary legislation with the promise of a review of primary legislation next year. What is proposed? All…
Emmergency Summer Budget 2010
We all knew the ‘Emergency’ Summer Budget was likely to be tough – given the dire state of the public finances the Chancellor believed there was no other option. But what did it mean exactly for businesses, entrepreneurs, employees and families? The attached Budget Summary provides details of the key changes announced and the tables…
Travel Republic Appeal
Using the analogy of Premiership football when it comes to the CAA and court hearings and appeals, the CAA would be Portsmouth! How many times can you go to court in less than five years and lose? How much tax payers money has been spent in fighting what from the outset always appeared losing causes?…
Consumer Protection
The court enforced administration order granted today against Eclear (UK) was widely expected. However what ultimately has to come out of the undoubted ensuing enquiry is how such an “aggregator” type company could function unregulated in the UK. The other questions that need to be answered is who is the “Acquirer of Record” (Eclear was…
ABTA swims against the tide
ABTA’s recent decision to change its “constitution” so as to ensure “supplier members” protect consumers where other failed ABTA agents have received consumer funds but not paid them over to the supplier, seems to have only one inevitable conclusion. Unless ABTA agents commit to solely buy from other ABTA members then this will lead to…
