ANAV: travel agencies must be heard in privatization

The National Association of Travel Agencies (ANAV) defended this Friday that agents be heard during the privatization process of TAP, showing itself in favor of the sale under “non-negotiable” conditions.

"The association calls for respect for all stakeholders, especially travel agencies, which generate around 40% of bookings, and urges them to be heard and protected during the process," ANAV said in a statement.

Following the Government's announcement regarding the approval of the decree-law that provides for the privatization of 49.9% of TAP's share capital, ANAV expressed its support for the decision, but presented some "non-negotiable conditions", such as the "formal inclusion of travel agents in the decision-making process", to guarantee "significant participation in the definition of contracts and post-privatization processes".

"It is impossible to successfully complete the TAP privatization process without taking into consideration, without listening to, all the other stakeholders who, together with the airline, make Portuguese tourism a global benchmark," argued ANAV president Miguel Quintas, quoted in the same note.

The association also wants travel agents to closely monitor the process to ensure that the "interests of those who bring tourists and drive the economy" are not ignored. "Privatization is only valid if the entire ecosystem surrounding TAP is safeguarded, namely agencies, hotels, restaurants, events, and airport infrastructure," it noted.

Additionally, ANAV wants to ensure the maintenance of the hub in Lisbon (an airport that serves as a distribution center for an airline), and is “against any scenario that removes the hub from Lisbon to the benefit of others, such as Madrid.”