Apps And ABTA

The ABTA convention. Having decided to give Tunisia a miss this year, the ABTA delegates relocated to Palma, thus making Mallorca even more of a beneficiary of the Arab spring. I say delegates. Looking down their number, there seemed to be more people from the media and consultants than there were actual travel people, but maybe it was a false impression.

Behind the stage, the screen which relayed the speakers and their presentations made constant reminders as to the addresses for the conference Twitter, text and Mobile App. Everyone seemed to be following this instruction religiously. Nowhere has there ever been such a collection of smartphones or notepads being tapped or scrolled away on, or maybe they were all just booking their holidays.

Alastair Stewart, 'twas he, "News At Ten", boing! Ah, I remember the days. The mid-70s. Alastair never made it to the presidency of the National Union of Students, despite his having been bookies' favourite at one point. Instead, he was agitator-in-chief behind the then bearded and still bearded Charles Clarke, "Two Pizzas", who ate fewer pizzas back then. Alastair has not been as animated since. Until now. He was a thoroughly impressive moderator.

There was gloom from some chap from the "Telegraph" to set the tone. Might as well all pack up and go home now. Let's get this convention off to a really uplifting start. Or maybe not. Then there was all sorts of stuff about social media, the internet, mobile apps and what have you. The delegates were all studiously examining their smartphones and downloading the latest app to be given a speaker's mention. Whether anyone was really listening, who can tell? There were plenty of images of apps on phones for everyone to look at instead.

A showpiece presentation wasn't a presentation as such. It was a conversation between Peter Long of TUI Travel and Miguel Fluxá who founded the Iberostar hotels. Despite an explanation as to who Sr. Fluxá was, it was still felt necessary to give him a rock-star musical accompaniment as he took to the stage, The Who's "Who Are You?". It seemed rather discourteous, but I doubt that Sr. Fluxá was aware of it or if he is a Who fan. Or perhaps he is. He has ageing rock-star hair, a lush silver mane over a face that reminds one somewhat of a tanned Tom Baker, as in Doctor Who. So, The Who was right after all.

There was stuff on the environment. Oh calamity. Hopefully, the loonies who disapprove of the climate-change theory were thin on the conference ground or were too busy charging their smartphones to have heard. Businesses, though, are setting targets for renewable energy and the like, and it's going to change everyone's lives. Something like that. One business has embarked on a wider sustainability assessment, that of an economic impact analysis that considers the value it as a business brings to areas in which it operates. I wondered if the chap from TUI was listening. Value to areas in it operates. All-inclusives. You get the picture.

And finally, as they say on "News At Ten", or used to, there was Willie Walsh, boss of IAG, the British Airways-Iberia merged outfit (he was accompanied by ELO's "Mr. Blue Sky"; still, could have been cheesier, "Up, Up And Away" for example). He slagged off the British Government and the transport minister in particular and criticised the Air Passenger Duty, which you would expect him to. But he has good reason. There's the UK trying to be all righteous and the Chinese are building 90 airports with up to eight runways each.

A fascinating day indeed, made more fascinating by meeting the British Consul who I asked if he might fancy heading off to Alcúdia for a trip down the Mile to see the effects of all-inclusives. If he were to be invited ... . Maybe he should be. Decent chap, though, and he seems to know a lot about cricket, while nowhere about his person was there any evidence of a smartphone, let alone the use of an app.


Any comments to andrew@thealcudiaguide.com please.