ABTA representing members' interests at six political party conferences over the coming weeks

ABTA will attend the Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Reform, Plaid Cymru, and SNP conferences this year – the largest number of party conferences the association has attended in one year.  

Parliament is returning after the summer recess at a time of political change across the UK, including the new Labour administration in Westminster, the SNP minority administration at Holyrood, and first ever Plaid Cymru-led Welsh Government in Cardiff.  

ABTA’s attendance at these party conferences will provide an opportunity to engage with politicians and decision-makers at various levels across the political spectrum. ABTA’s Public Affairs team will meet with MPs, elected representatives from the Devolved administrations, members of the House of Lords, and party officials.  

A key focus of discussions will be the competitiveness of the UK travel industry, including the impact of taxation and rising business-related costs, and the importance of sustaining the UK’s position as a world leader in aviation and travel.  

ABTA will also use the conferences to highlight the economic contribution of the travel industry, while underlining the need for policies that support its continued growth. By engaging directly with politicians on these issues, ABTA is representing the interests of members and making sure the issues affecting the industry are understood as policy is developed.  

The team will also meet with stakeholders from across the travel industry including airlines, airports and other travel organisations.    

At the Labour Party conference, ABTA and UKinbound will host a joint tourism reception, bringing together representatives from across the tourism industry and political stakeholders. This will be one of the first opportunities to engage with ministers appointed under the new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham.  

The conference programme forms part of ABTA’s wider programme of political and policy engagement. Over the past 12 months, ABTA has interacted with more than 250 Parliamentarians, including around 100 in-person meetings.    

Luke Petherbridge, Director of Public Affairs at ABTA – The Travel Association, said:  

“Party conferences are an important opportunity to engage directly with politicians make sure the voice of the travel industry is heard as parties develop their policies and priorities.  

“We’re attending more conferences this year in recognition of the changing shape of UK politics, and the need to engage across the political spectrum to make sure that the issues that matter to our members are understood by all parties.  

“They’re also a good opportunity, as we look ahead to October’s Budget – the first under the new Prime Minister and Chancellor, to discuss what we need from this Budget to help travel businesses thrive and harness their growth potential.”

Notes to editors

ABTA is a trade association for UK travel agents, tour operators and the wider travel industry. We’re the largest travel trade body, with over 3,500 travel brands in membership who have a combined annual UK turnover of over £41 billion. We work closely with our members to help raise and maintain standards and build a more sustainable travel industry, and provide travellers with advice, guidance and support.

Our members sign up to a code of conduct and commit to agreed service standards and fair trading. When you need clear travel information, and accurate and impartial advice relating to your trip, we’re here for you. When you book with an ABTA member, reliable advice comes as standard. This means that booking with our members brings peace of mind.

All this together means we help you travel with confidence. www.abta.com