ABTA marks 75 years at the heart of the UK’s travel and tourism scene
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dhewitt@abta.co.uk Fri, 06/27/2025 - 15:15
From annual sunshine breaks in the Med to extraordinary round-the-world trips, millions of UK holidaymakers have enjoyed an overseas break with an ABTA member since the travel association launched 75 years ago.
How travel has changed
Holidays have changed considerably since ABTA’s inception, with most people taking domestic breaks, often at a seaside resort in the UK, in the 1950s.
Data from the Office for National Statistics’ International Passenger Survey, which began in 1961, shows trips abroad since then have surged by more than 2,500%. While UK residents took just 3.3 million trips in 1961, this rose to 86.2m according to their latest data set in 20232.
Reasons are many, and include the growth in package holiday options, the introduction of low-cost carriers and the birth of the internet.
When package holidays first became popular, many ABTA experts listed the Balearics, Italian Riviera, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland and Germany as their most booked destinations.
Nowadays, while Europe remains the top choice for overseas trips, visited by 83% of UK travellers according to ABTA’s latest Holiday Habits report, the top 15 most visited destinations also included the USA (4th), Mexico (11th) and Australia (13th)3.
Supporting holidaymakers for 75 years
Established in the summer of 1950, ABTA was created to agree a set of standards for the businesses involved in the emerging world of international travel. Since then, ABTA has helped its members to run successful businesses while also being a constant source of advice, guidance and support for the travelling public. To this day, the ABTA Code of Conduct sets a framework for all members to act and trade responsibly and ‘do the right thing’ by customers.
ABTA helped with the industry’s first significant failure in July 1964 when the collapse of Fiesta Tours, a non-ABTA member, left around 2,000 holidaymakers stranded. In response, ABTA set up the first fund to repatriate customers in the event of a failure, and underlined the importance to customers of their holiday bookings being financially protected.
More recently, the association handled more than 1,400 customer claims following the failure of the original Thomas Cook in 2019. These started to be paid within the first seven days of the company’s collapse.
ABTA also stepped up its advice for holidaymakers during the Covid-19 crisis, by developing a hub of information on ABTA.com to set out everything people needed to know about refunds, the latest travel requirements and future bookings which was viewed more than 1.3 million times in 2020 alone.
ABTA Chief Executive, Mark Tanzer, said:
“ABTA was born out of a desire to make travel better; to give people confidence that when they book a holiday with an ABTA member, they know that company is committed to delivering high standards and an exceptional service.
“The holidays our members have booked for their customers have changed hugely since our early years, when the choice of destination and style of trip were more limited. Now, people can book a holiday in practically any location, personalise almost every element of their trip and seek out whatever experience they have in mind.
“What hasn’t changed, however, is ABTA’s role as a constant companion for the travelling public, offering vital peace of mind and much-needed support. We, and our members, are ideally placed to carry on giving people confidence to travel over the next 75 years.”
Sandra McAllister, Managing Director of Althams Travel, one of ABTA’s founding members, said:
“We are extremely proud to be one of the founding members of ABTA.
“Althams first stepped into the world of travel with day trips to the seaside, followed by rail and coach holidays both in the UK and abroad, and then air travel. The industry has grown hugely during this time, as the sanctity of the ‘family holiday’ has become increasingly woven into the fabric of everyday life.
“The use of the ABTA logo is essential to us as it instantly signifies ‘trust’ to our customers. ABTA is recognised as the ultimate association offering security, protection and a vital safety net, which is priceless.”
Notes to editors
1 88% of the UK public who have heard of ABTA say they are more likely to book with an ABTA member than a company that is not. Source: The Nursery, independent research of around 1,000 people, March 2025
2 A news release issued by the Office for National Statistics in July 2011 shows UK residents took 3.3 million visits abroad in 1961 – more information via this link: https://webarchive.nationalarchives....uk/ons/rel/ott/travel-trends/2010/index.html
An ONS Travel Trends report released in May 2024 shows the total number of visits abroad each year made by UK residents from 1980 to 2023: Travel trends estimates: overseas residents in the UK and UK residents abroad - Office for National Statistics
3 According to ABTA’s Holiday Habits 2024-25 report, in the 12 months to July 2024, the USA was the UK’s 4th most popular destination, the UAE was 10th, Mexico was 11th, and Australia was 13th: Holiday Habits 2024-25 | ABTA. The report draws on research from a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults and was carried out from 24 July to 2 August 2024 by The Nursery Research and Planning.
About ABTA
ABTA is a trade association for UK travel agents, tour operators and the wider travel industry. We’re the largest travel trade body, with over 4,300 travel brands in membership who have a combined annual UK turnover of over £40 billion. We work closely with our members to help raise and maintain standards and build a more sustainable travel industry, and provide travellers with advice, guidance and support.
Our members sign up to a code of conduct and commit to agreed service standards and fair trading. When you need clear travel information, and accurate and impartial advice relating to your trip, we’re here for you. When you book with an ABTA member, reliable advice comes as standard. This means that booking with our members brings peace of mind.
All this together means we help you travel with confidence. www.abta.com
Continue reading...
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dhewitt@abta.co.uk Fri, 06/27/2025 - 15:15
- The trade association began with 97 members in 1950 and is now the UK’s largest travel trade association representing around 4,300 travel brands
- Notable moments include helping to repatriate 2,000 holidaymakers after industry’s first significant failure in 1964
- During ABTA’s lifetime holidays have become an annual staple, with ONS data showing visits abroad have surged by over 2,500% since the first International Passenger Survey in 1961
- Now, 88% say that they would rather book a holiday with a company in ABTA membership than one which is not1
From annual sunshine breaks in the Med to extraordinary round-the-world trips, millions of UK holidaymakers have enjoyed an overseas break with an ABTA member since the travel association launched 75 years ago.
How travel has changed
Holidays have changed considerably since ABTA’s inception, with most people taking domestic breaks, often at a seaside resort in the UK, in the 1950s.
Data from the Office for National Statistics’ International Passenger Survey, which began in 1961, shows trips abroad since then have surged by more than 2,500%. While UK residents took just 3.3 million trips in 1961, this rose to 86.2m according to their latest data set in 20232.
Reasons are many, and include the growth in package holiday options, the introduction of low-cost carriers and the birth of the internet.
When package holidays first became popular, many ABTA experts listed the Balearics, Italian Riviera, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland and Germany as their most booked destinations.
Nowadays, while Europe remains the top choice for overseas trips, visited by 83% of UK travellers according to ABTA’s latest Holiday Habits report, the top 15 most visited destinations also included the USA (4th), Mexico (11th) and Australia (13th)3.
Supporting holidaymakers for 75 years
Established in the summer of 1950, ABTA was created to agree a set of standards for the businesses involved in the emerging world of international travel. Since then, ABTA has helped its members to run successful businesses while also being a constant source of advice, guidance and support for the travelling public. To this day, the ABTA Code of Conduct sets a framework for all members to act and trade responsibly and ‘do the right thing’ by customers.
ABTA helped with the industry’s first significant failure in July 1964 when the collapse of Fiesta Tours, a non-ABTA member, left around 2,000 holidaymakers stranded. In response, ABTA set up the first fund to repatriate customers in the event of a failure, and underlined the importance to customers of their holiday bookings being financially protected.
More recently, the association handled more than 1,400 customer claims following the failure of the original Thomas Cook in 2019. These started to be paid within the first seven days of the company’s collapse.
ABTA also stepped up its advice for holidaymakers during the Covid-19 crisis, by developing a hub of information on ABTA.com to set out everything people needed to know about refunds, the latest travel requirements and future bookings which was viewed more than 1.3 million times in 2020 alone.
ABTA Chief Executive, Mark Tanzer, said:
“ABTA was born out of a desire to make travel better; to give people confidence that when they book a holiday with an ABTA member, they know that company is committed to delivering high standards and an exceptional service.
“The holidays our members have booked for their customers have changed hugely since our early years, when the choice of destination and style of trip were more limited. Now, people can book a holiday in practically any location, personalise almost every element of their trip and seek out whatever experience they have in mind.
“What hasn’t changed, however, is ABTA’s role as a constant companion for the travelling public, offering vital peace of mind and much-needed support. We, and our members, are ideally placed to carry on giving people confidence to travel over the next 75 years.”
Sandra McAllister, Managing Director of Althams Travel, one of ABTA’s founding members, said:
“We are extremely proud to be one of the founding members of ABTA.
“Althams first stepped into the world of travel with day trips to the seaside, followed by rail and coach holidays both in the UK and abroad, and then air travel. The industry has grown hugely during this time, as the sanctity of the ‘family holiday’ has become increasingly woven into the fabric of everyday life.
“The use of the ABTA logo is essential to us as it instantly signifies ‘trust’ to our customers. ABTA is recognised as the ultimate association offering security, protection and a vital safety net, which is priceless.”
Notes to editors
1 88% of the UK public who have heard of ABTA say they are more likely to book with an ABTA member than a company that is not. Source: The Nursery, independent research of around 1,000 people, March 2025
2 A news release issued by the Office for National Statistics in July 2011 shows UK residents took 3.3 million visits abroad in 1961 – more information via this link: https://webarchive.nationalarchives....uk/ons/rel/ott/travel-trends/2010/index.html
An ONS Travel Trends report released in May 2024 shows the total number of visits abroad each year made by UK residents from 1980 to 2023: Travel trends estimates: overseas residents in the UK and UK residents abroad - Office for National Statistics
3 According to ABTA’s Holiday Habits 2024-25 report, in the 12 months to July 2024, the USA was the UK’s 4th most popular destination, the UAE was 10th, Mexico was 11th, and Australia was 13th: Holiday Habits 2024-25 | ABTA. The report draws on research from a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults and was carried out from 24 July to 2 August 2024 by The Nursery Research and Planning.
About ABTA
ABTA is a trade association for UK travel agents, tour operators and the wider travel industry. We’re the largest travel trade body, with over 4,300 travel brands in membership who have a combined annual UK turnover of over £40 billion. We work closely with our members to help raise and maintain standards and build a more sustainable travel industry, and provide travellers with advice, guidance and support.
Our members sign up to a code of conduct and commit to agreed service standards and fair trading. When you need clear travel information, and accurate and impartial advice relating to your trip, we’re here for you. When you book with an ABTA member, reliable advice comes as standard. This means that booking with our members brings peace of mind.
All this together means we help you travel with confidence. www.abta.com
Continue reading...
