ABTA has responded to the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. In ABTA’s submission to the Government ahead of the Autumn Statement, submitted in October, the association had called for the extension of business rates relief support for travel agents, and urged the government to consider expanding youth mobility schemes to drive growth.

Mark Tanzer, Chief Executive of ABTA – The Travel Association said:

“The extension of business rates support will benefit many travel agents and it’s encouraging that the government has listened to our calls in that area.

“While travel has seen a good recovery since the pandemic, many businesses still see the impact of COVID on their balance sheet as they face large debt repayments. This continued support will help companies as they continue to recover, especially as businesses are operating against the backdrop of high inflation and increased costs.

“But travel isn’t just focused on recovery, it is also looking to grow, which is why it was encouraging to see the Chancellor pitch this statement as a plan to get the economy growing.

“ABTA’s research shows the travel industry’s growth is set to outpace the general economy - with outbound travel due to grow by 15% by 2027, compared with 2019 levels. However, to realise that potential requires government to work in partnership with the sector to put in place the right policy framework. That will also require fresh thinking around skills and recruitment, so we very much welcome that the government says it is looking at extending youth mobility schemes. It’s important this includes agreements with European countries too.”

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 3,900 travel brands in membership who have a combined pre-pandemic annual UK turnover of £40 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. We’ll help you understand your level of financial protection, and what to do next, in the unlikely event that an ABTA member goes out of business. So, whatever happens, when you book with an ABTA member, reliable advice comes as standard. This means that booking with our members brings peace of mind. Together with our members, we help you travel with confidence. www.abta.com