ELECTION TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS. Yvonne Borg has left Hoseasons Holidays Abroad Ltd and resigned from the ABTA Board. Nominations are invited for the vacancy in Principal Band A (Members with an annual principal turnover of under �9 million). Please contact Susan Parsons (sparsons@abta.co.uk) on 020 7307 1915 for nomination forms. The deadline for nominations is 1700 hours on Thursday 19 January. EVERY LESSON COUNTS. Members who are advertising offers on the Every Lesson Counts section of the ABTA website are reminded to keep these offers current. The campaign is operating on a rolling programme for the foreseeable future and Members can continue to post their holiday offers at www.abta.com/offers/school-holiday-breaks.html. Posters are available to download and print from www.abtamembers.org/everylessoncounts. If you require further assistance, please contact Frances Tuke (ftuke@abta.co.uk) on 020 7307 1900 or Daryl Nurthen (dnurthen@abta.co.uk) on 020 7307 1996.

SPANISH SMOKING BAN. Since 1 January 2006, smoking in many public places in Spain has been made illegal. There are exceptions to the ban and full details can be obtained at www.abtamembers.org/smokinglegislation.pdf. For further information, please contact Sean Tipton (stipton@abta.co.uk) on 020 7307 1902.

AGENCY DEBIT MEMOS. Members are reminded that a revised IATA Resolution 850m - Issue and Processing of ADMs - came into effect on 1 January 2006 and is included in the January 2006 edition of the Travel Agent's Handbook. A summary of the IATA rules, which are now clearer and more comprehensive as a result of consultation with travel industry representatives, has been prepared by ECTAA and is available at www.abtamembers.org/aviation/admguidelines.pdf. In the meantime, IATA agents are reminded that it is important to check ADMs as soon as they are received. Please contact the Members' Information line (membersinfo@abta.co.uk) on 0845 177 ABTA (2282) if you have any queries.

THE ABTA BENEVOLENT FUND (ABTA-BEN). Members are reminded that ABTA's own charity, the ABTA Benevolent Fund can provide valuable assistance to anyone who has worked in the travel industry who now needs help, for such reasons as being unable to work through prolonged illness, an accident, redundancy or forced retirement. ABTA-BEN has paid out more than �250,000 since it began in 1988. If you know anyone who the charity could help, please contact David Parish (dparish@abta.co.uk) on 020 7307 1917 or see www.abtabenevolentfund.org.

NEW ABTA MEMBERS. We are pleased to welcome Lidana Ltd (K4903 / W8906) in London and Simply Short Breaks Ltd (W8893) in Dover as a new ABTA Members. For a full list of companies that have recently joined the Association, go to www.abtamembers.org/abtel/new.htm.

For a list of forthcoming ABTA events, including regional meetings and seminars, go to www.abtamembers.org/diary.htm For a list of ABTA publications, consumer leaflets, and ABTA-branded items, go to www.abta.com/publications

� ABTA 2006. All rights reserved

If you cannot access the internet but would like further information about any of the topics covered in this issue of ABTA Today, please contact the Members' Information line on 0845 177 ABTA (2282) or 020 7307 1994.