A WEEK AT ABTA. Firstly, I'd like to congratulate Justin Fleming on being elected as the new ABTA President and I look forward to a successful working relationship with him. Sustainable tourism is very much in the air at the moment and I'm meeting the Travel Foundation today as we're now in a position to bring together all the work we've been doing on sustainable tourism and discuss ways in which we can best help Members to implement these measures. Keith Richards, our Head of Consumer Affairs, will be on BBC2's Working Lunch discussing the same and how we and the public can manage the environmental impact of travelling. Hopefully this will go some way to answering last week's Travel Weekly front page. I'm off to Tenerife for the Triton conference tomorrow; my second travel trade convention after our own in Marrakech. I'm looking forward to it, and to speaking to ABTA Members who're attending. Mark Tanzer, Chief Executive.

REMOVAL OF AUDIT REQUIREMENT. Following last week's AGM, Members should note that with effect from accounts ending on or after 31 October 2005, Members will no longer be required to lodge audited accounts with ABTA. Accounts completed by a suitably qualified and independent accountant and in the statutory format are still required within the same timescales as previously and, where audited accounts are prepared (i.e. because of the requirements of the Companies Act or other reason) these must be submitted. For further details Members should contact their ABTA Financial Liaison officer or the Members' Information line (membersinfo@abta.co.uk) on 0845 177 2282.

COUNCIL OF REGIONS. The latest issue of CoR Bulletin is now available on our website at www.abtamembers.org/corbulletin/bulletin33.htm

FCO ADVICE TO NEPAL. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has reviewed its advice to Nepal and is no longer advising against all but essential travel to the country. All curfews have now been lifted, supplies of food and fuel have largely returned to normal, transport has resumed and roads and shops have opened. For further information please see www.fco.gov.uk or contact the FCO on 0845 850 2829.

NEW TRAVEL INDUSTRY PARTNER. Acumus is one of the UK's fastest growing travel insurance specialists, providing tailored solutions to some of the most well-known brands within the travel industry. Acumus has developed a reputation for creating intelligent and innovative travel insurance products supported by sales, marketing and customer management strategies that combine to deliver significantly increased insurance revenues and add genuine value to your business. For further information please visit www.acumus.com or contact Gary O'Brien (gobrien@acumus.com) on 020 7073 2714.

ROOM HIRE. Readers of ABTA Today may like to know that meeting rooms are available to hire at ABTA's central London offices. For further information, please visit www.abta.com/roomhire or contact Phil Growney (reception@abta.co.uk) on 020 7307 1927.

TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. We experienced some technical difficulties in sending out today's earlier edition of ABTA Today and would like to apologise if some Members received duplicate copies.

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