Online scammers are damaging the reputation of travel agents, and trade members should take steps to distinguish themselves from fraudsters.
This week’s news of a group of 80 pensioners who were scammed out of large amounts of cash they paid for a luxury ‘dream trip to Thailand’ has put the spotlight on online travel fraud.
The pensioners were promised a 14-night exotic journey to the Southeast Asian nation, but the so-called ‘travel agent’ failed to deliver on the trip and did not refund the money. The pensioners have since opened a fraud case at the Strand police station in the Western Cape.
Otto de Vries, CEO of Asata, told Travel News that this fraud case was deeply concerning and expressed empathy with those affected by the incident.
“As an industry, we take these matters very seriously and are committed to maintaining the trust of our clients,” he said.
De Vries highlighted that Asata strongly encouraged travellers to protect themselves by working with reputable Asata member agencies.
“Asata upholds a strict code of conduct and financial standards for all members, which is a trusted assurance of quality, financial stability, and ethics. Importantly, there have been zero fraud cases involving an Asata member in the past decade. This track record demonstrates the association’s effectiveness in protecting consumers.”
He added that Asata provided visible proof of accountability through membership certificates, logos, and directory listings, and urged travellers to verify these credentials before booking. “This simple step can help to mitigate against potential scams.”
Tammy Hunt, MD of eTravel, told Travel News that if a deal seemed too good to be true, it usually was and travellers should educate themselves.
“Cheapest is not best. Booking through an ITC who has a wealth of knowledge, experience and relationships that date back for years, if not decades, can and will protect their clients at all costs and won't book their clients through operators who promise the trip of a lifetime for half the price,” said Hunt.
Chantal Gouws, GM of Flight Centre Independent (FCI) South Africa, said trust and transparency were paramount for all travel professionals, especially in today's digital landscape.
“At Flight Centre Independent we take a multi-layered approach to ensure our customers feel secure. All our FCI agents benefit from a rigorous vetting process and the backing of the global Flight Centre brand, which significantly helps in distinguishing themselves from potential scammers,” she said.
To build reputable businesses online and on social media, and to clearly distinguish themselves from scammers, FCI advises its agents to take certain steps. These would make good business sense for any agent.
- Leverage Brand Power: Clearly communicate affiliation with Flight Centre or FCI on all platforms.
- Active Social Media Presence: Maintain active, verified profiles showcasing travel expertise and content.
- Professional Online Presence: Use professional email addresses and websites. For branded agents, this includes consistent Flight Centre branding.
- Responsive Customer Service: Promptly respond to enquiries and maintain excellent customer service.
- Cybersecurity: Invest in robust measures to protect customer data.
- Showcase Expertise: Regularly share valuable travel content, tips, and insights to establish authority in the field.
- Client Testimonials: Share positive feedback and experiences from satisfied customers.
- Educational Content: Provide information about safe booking practices to help clients distinguish between legitimate businesses and potential scams.
- Networking: Engage with other reputable travel professionals and organisations online to build credibility by association.
- Consistency: Maintain a consistent brand voice and posting schedule to build familiarity and trust with your audience.
“By leveraging the strength and reputation of the Flight Centre brand, along with our comprehensive support and vetting processes, our agents can effectively distinguish themselves from scammers and build trust with their clients in the online space,” Gouws concluded.
