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The Association of Travel Agencies of Serbia (UTAS) and the Association of Independent Travel Agencies of Serbia (ANTAS) estimate that tomorrow, November 1, some 4,000 tourist workers will lose their jobs, although the associations warned in time of all the problems derived from travel agency blockades of more than one month.
Photo: FoNet / Miloš LukićAlthough they indicated in the statement that the authorities generally did not respond to the letters, they again called on the corresponding ministry to urgently solve the problem of the blockade, adding that the possibilities of the agencies going bankrupt en masse increase and thus “leave to passengers without replacement trips. “
UTAS and ANTAS also say that the competent ministry finally approved a regulation “without the participation of the profession”, which is “completely inapplicable in practice”, that is, bank guarantees as a condition for the continuation of legal activity.
“Agencies are doing everything they can to survive in the market to allow replacement trips.” Most agencies had to lay off a good chunk of workers or will soon, but all cost cuts are insufficient if the legal continuation of work and the sale of tourist arrangements are not enabled, “the statement read.
UTAS and ANTAS also asked insurance companies to announce whether they will pay damages to passengers who do not receive replacement trips, “because most of the agencies cannot continue to operate under current conditions.”
“Insolvency policies, which are a legal condition for organizing travel, were not even offered to most agencies, so in fact they are not yet available to us. Also, the prices are unrealistically high because the agencies will certainly not make a significant billing soon ”, they believe in UTAS and ANTAS.
It is added that all the associations of travel agencies and guides in Serbia requested from the new Minister of Commerce, Tourism and Telecommunications, Tatjana Matić, an urgent reception to redress the problems and find an acceptable solution for the continuation of the business of the agencies.
“The current legislation and procedures of insurance companies favor large agencies instead of allowing free competition in the market under equal conditions for all participants. We cannot allow that because that would close smaller agencies, mostly family members, who have been a pillar of safe and reliable travel for decades, “the statement concludes.
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