Spanish Travel Agents Eye 2004 More Optimistically
Spain’s travel agents are facing up to 2004 in a more upbeat way than they looked at the previous year in which the travel industry endured the consequences of a war, the SARS outbreak and the 9/11 fallout, said Jesus Martinez Millan, president of the Spanish Travel Agency Federation (STAF).
In Mr. Millan’s opinion, elections are the only factors that could have some repercussion on travelers’ minds because “such major events as general elections or the World Soccer Cup do sway the way customers usually go shopping around.”
The STAF has just inked an agreement with the People’s Group and VISA, the credit card giant, to allow travel agency customers to sign up a no-interest payment plan for up to 90 days.
The People’s Bank will collect a one percent fixed discount rate for the use of credit cards and an additional 1.4 percent for financing costs if the payment were delayed. GDS bill payments will be exempt from this service since no down payment will be required for STAF member agencies.
The People’s Group will be in charge of setting up terminals in sale outlets, while agencies could choose the periodicity (daily, weekly, fortnightly or monthly) that they see fit in getting receipts and stubs for performed operations.
