The cost of air tickets for some airlines is expected to increase by 7 percent as travel agents in Zambia will take consultation charges, Zambia Daily Mail reported on Thursday.

 

Travel Agents Association of Zambia has written to all travel agents to charge a minimum of 7 percent as service fee.

 

Reviewing the past year, Patrick Mwale, president of the Federation of Eastern and Southern African Travel Agents, was quoted as saying that the reduction in commission by some airlines had negatively affected its members in the sub-region.

 

"We have had to accept the world scenario on the reduction in commission against our wish" to sensitize the public of the new module in an orderly manner, he said.

 

The new module will lead passengers to pay more because the 7 percent of consultation fee will be added to actual ticket fares in cases of some airlines who do not offer the commission. On the 2007 outlook, Mwale said the future looks bright in the sector because there are a lot of opportunities in the sub-region.

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 12, 2007)