ABTA CALLS ON THE CHANCELLOR TO HELP THE INDUSTRY IN THE BUDGET
Date published: 07 April 2009ABTA Chief Executive Mark Tanzer has written today to the Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling calling on him to address urgently five key industry issues in his next budget.
• Tourism Taxation – Cutting the taxation burden on both outbound and inbound tourism to help stimulate demand.
• Air Passenger Duty – Consider withdrawing APD or at the very least cancelling the second phase increase planned for 1 November 2010, as well as rectifying the illogical anomalies in the proposed banding structure.
• Financial Protection for all Air Travellers – Emphasising that the failure of the XL Group has graphically highlighted the pressing need for a comprehensive scheme for all air travellers and the inadequate nature of past Government inaction.
• VAT – Following EU proposals on a review of the Tour Operators’ Margin Scheme, not to make any changes without industry consultation and to provide a reasonable lead in period.
• VISA Costs – To reduce the relatively high visa costs for entry to the UK.
ABTA has also asked Mr Darling to meet to discuss these concerns.
For further information
Sean Tipton, Communications Officer, tel: 020 3117 0513,Frances Tuke, Public Relations Manager, tel: 020 3117 0514, Mobile 07850 712 325,
Casia Zajac, Head of Communications, tel: 020 3117 0515, Mobile: 07912 248 904
Out of Hours: Contact the Duty Press Officer via pager: 07659 190 987
E-mail: press@abta.co.uk
Web: www.abta.com
Notes to editors
ABTA – The Travel Association was founded in 1950 and currently has 1,415 members with 5,900 outlets. Members include travel agents, tour operators and support services right across the spectrum from small family-owned businesses to the largest tour operators.
ABTA is the largest travel association in the UK and its members provide 90% of the foreign package holidays in the UK as well as selling millions of independent travel arrangements.
As part of its comprehensive package of services to members, ABTA, as a non-party political organisation, also provides an effective voice to represent the interests of its Members to government and key opinion formers at the highest levels. In the UK, these include, government ministers, constituency MPs, Select Committee members, senior civil servants and members of the political opposition parties in both Westminster and the devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
In Europe, ABTA is forming close ties with members of the European Parliament, the European Commission and staff within the Director Generals’ Secretariats. ABTA works in partnership with ECTAA (the European grouping of travel agents and tour operators’ associations) to lobby on interests relevant to its Members.
