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Travel technology company Mobile Trails Ltd has worked with ABTA and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in developing the new communication system, while the FCO has provided funding for the service to ensure that there will be no cost to ABTA Members or their customers.

The ABTA Travel Buddy email puts together tailored 'Know Before You Go' and destination information for holidaymakers in a formatted email before they travel, and, in extraordinary circumstances will provide free text messages funded by the FCO so that customers can be located and provided with essential information and guidance. 

The email information helps ABTA Members provide information they are required to under the Code of Conduct in a clear format and includes details of FCO advice, reminders about the importance of travel insurance and, when appropriate recommendations to visit a health professional before travel. The email also has space for ABTA Members' own essential travel information.

If a crisis was to occur in a holiday destination, the service will provide free text messages to customers who are there, so that they can be located and provided with guidance and advice.

Mark Tanzer, ABTA Chief Executive said: “ABTA is providing this service to Members at no cost to help them provide exemplary customer service, particularly at times of emergencies when fast and effective information is needed. Mobile phones are now used by nearly everyone when they travel.”

Adam Winterflood M.D. of Mobile Trails said: “This is a free service to ABTA members who sign up now, as an ABTA member why wouldn’t you take advantage of it?  Duty of care and customer service are important differentiators for any travel business, the ABTA Travel Buddy service means that members can tell their customers that they are businesses that care about them and have the ability to communicate with them effectively in a crisis.”

6 October 2009
 
ABTA Contacts:
Sean Tipton, Senior Press Officer, tel: 020 3117 0513, Frances Tuke, Public Relations Manager, tel: 020 3117 0514, Mobile 07850 712 325, Casia Zajac, Head of Communications, tel: 020 3117 0515, Mobile: 07545 927 411
Out of Hours:  Contact the Duty Press Officer via pager: 07659 190 987
E-mail: press@abta.co.uk
Web: www.abta.com
 
Mobiletrails/Travel Buddy contact:
Neil Herbert, Marketing Director, Travel Buddy
tel: +44 7771 796458
email: neil@travelbuddy.co.uk
Notes to Editors

About ABTA
ABTA – The Travel Association was founded in 1950 and currently has 1,351 members with 5,700 outlets. Members include travel agents, tour operators and support services right across the spectrum from small family-owned businesses to the largest tour operators. 

ABTA is the largest travel association in the UK and its members provide 90% of the foreign package holidays in the UK as well as selling millions of independent travel arrangements. 

In 2008 ABTA merged with the Federation of Tour Operators [FTO], thereby cementing its role as the leading travel association and increasing benefits for both ABTA and FTO members. Both the ABTA brand which is highly recognised by consumers and the FTO brand which is well known in destinations will be retained.

As part of its comprehensive package of services to members, ABTA, as a non-party political organisation provides an effective voice to represent the interests of its Members to government and key opinion formers at the highest levels.  In the UK, these include government ministers, constituency MPs, Select Committee members, senior civil servants and members of the political opposition parties.

About Travel Buddy/Mobiletrails
Mobiletrails provides location-based mobile services to business and consumer travellers throughout the UK and Europe. Launched in 2006, its Travel Buddy product uses text messaging and mobile internet to enable the travel industry to differentiate services and generate ancillary revenues through better communications with their customers. Travel Buddy now has proprietary content for over 1800 destinations worldwide as well as a Mobile Translator delivered by Java Applet in 11 different languages. Travel Buddy provides location based information to travellers relevant to their dates of travel and destination, as well as providing text message advice and support for customers of leading travel brands such as Monarch, TUI, Disney, Flythomascook, First Choice and The Co-operative Travel. More information about the company and its services can be found at travelbuddy.co.uk