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abta bonding with GoHen.com

See GoHen's ABTA membership on the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) website.

The importance of booking travel, especially with numerous people involved, means you should really think about your financial protection. Why would you risk it when you don't have to. GoHen is financially protected, we respect the business you put with us and safeguard your money.

Bottom line - your investment is secure!

"ABTA is the leading UK travel association and ABTA Members are able to offer full protection to ensure that, when you book your holiday, you know that your money is safe. GoHen knows that this is important to you and has chosen to provide this protection on all of its bookings through ABTA's bonding scheme. This protection coupled with the assurance you get from the ABTA Code of Conduct means that you are making the best choice for your travel arrangements."

ABTA Head Office 16.09.2008

What ABTA Bonding means to you ...

Simply you can book with confidence knowing that your cash (including the money of those you book on behalf of) is safe.

Technically speaking as a member of ABTA:
- on top of our standard tour operator’s insurance we furthermore insure our customers’ financial positions with a specially approved underwriter, we use one of the best travel insurers in Europe
- we have to conform to a demanding code of practice which includes among other things, a full house of appropriate insurances and quarterly reporting to ABTA so they can ensure our client protection policies are appropriate and business is in good order.

Why do GoHen bond?

- for us it’s all about client focus, and while there’s little leverage in it for ourselves it gives you, the customer, a whole lot more
- we bond because it gives you a much higher value product for you, it gives you essential financial security and because as a company we’re committed to operating at the highest standards and levels of delivery
- and because it separates us from a lot of companies who try to do what we do but can’t

Bottom line – it gives you the financial safety, piece of mind and professional commitment you deserve.

Who are ABTA?

ABTA is known quite simply as The Travel Association. Formed in 1950 by 22 leading travel companies, ABTA - The Travel Association - now represents over 5,500 travel agencies and 900 tour operations, throughout the British Isles. All of them carry the ABTA logo, which means choice, value, high levels of service and a commitment to maintain high standards of trading practice for the benefit of its Members, the travel industry at large, and the consumers that they serve. The amalgamation of ABTA and the Federation of Tour Operators (FTO) on 1 July 2008 has created a still more powerful and authoritative voice for the travel industry.

Bottom line – the leading UK travel association that demands the highest standards from its members and can offer the greatest levels of protection for the public. Find out more at www.abta.co.uk

Why doesn’t every package travel company bond?

Because bonding costs a lot of money many companies avoid this commitment. They may also not have relevant company administration or operations in place, it’s also possible they may fall short of the commitments required.

In our opinion all package travel companies (ie those offering 2 or more services eg accommodation + activities) should bond, otherwise they are not offering the levels of protection customers deserve, also they are not bound by a code that demands the highest levels of customer focus. They may be able to offer the odd slightly cheaper price here and there but if all they’re taking is shortcuts to try and win your business, it’s the customers that lose. And if you put it in real terms the “value” they may offer is a lot, lot less.

And if an unbonded company goes broke or fails to deliver the service you’ve requested there’s little or no comeback, they will simply shut up shop and not take your calls. Outrageous practise but it happens.

Bottom line – don’t book with a company that’s not appropriately bonded, it won’t offer financial protection and experience tells it probably falls a long way short professionally.

But don’t standard regulations provide protection?

They should but while the “package travel regulations” is law it is rarely enforced prior to upset, and post upset the impact is usually redundant. These civil departments don’t have a roving staff to check on every company they rely on compliance – but you’ll know full well not everybody takes compliance seriously, just think of how many people have been let down this year alone and then think of the ones you don’t hear about.

Many companies will say they don’t need to provide bonding or assurances because of this or that, but it’s likely to be just smoke and mirrors. That’s not saying they’ll necessarily let you down but what protection or assurances have you got?

Bottom line – words mean little after the fact, don’t rely on anything but bonding.

So what’s ATOL?

ATOL focuses on the financial protection of flight related product ie the booking of flights or foreign packaged travel (where the package includes flights). ATOL is essentially a bond for that.

It does not cover UK travel and delivery under does not cover anything that is not flight “packaged”, so if you book something abroad but not the flights (or part of a flight inclusive package), it’s not covered.

Bottom line – ATOL’s great and the way to go if you’re booking “flight inclusive” packages, it does not apply for UK travel or purchases that do not include flights. So make sure if you’re booking a package that includes flights you’re covered by ATOL, but if you’re not whatever you book make sure your travelling with an ABTA bonded agent.

So if I want to go abroad what if I book my own flights?

That’s perfect, and in these times of airline and agency failures it’s what we would recommend.
(1) first and foremost always make sure you have adequate and fully appropriate travel insurance
(2) book your flight on your credit card with an established international airline
(3) book the rest of your programme with GoHen

What other things about GoHen should give me confidence?

So many things, we’re really the best at what we do and we’ll continue to give you, our clients more, why don’t you have a look at our reasons to book.

And if nothing else just call us, you’ll be happy you did!