Four weeks from today the country will go to the polls to elect a new Government. With such a short campaigning period, the parties have been quick to hit the campaign trail and mobilise their supporters.

There are many important issues that the travel and tourism industry will need the new Government to address, including the five Brexit priorities we have set out in our recent report, as well as concerns such as airport capacity and the need to reduce Air Passenger Duty. We shall also continue to put pressure on newly elected Ministers to take swift action against the rise in fraudulent holiday sickness claims, a critical issue for ABTA Members as we move into high season.

With so many important priorities for the travel and tourism industry, it is crucial that the voice of the industry is heard during the election campaign and that the parties and candidates value the industry's contribution. MPs are more likely to be motivated to address the industry’s needs if they value and understand the importance of tourism to their local constituents, jobs and the economy.

To make sure that candidates understand the value of inbound, outbound and domestic tourism, next week ABTA will launch the #ValueTourism campaign. The campaign will build on the success of our 2015 General Election campaign. Through the campaign ABTA aims to develop relationships with candidates and encourage them to act as advocates for the industry, should they be elected. The campaign will ask candidates to publicly support the travel and tourism industry, and will inform them of our policy and Brexit priorities.

Look out for more details of our campaign in ABTA Today when it launches next week. We shall also provide you with a summary of the relevant points relating to travel and tourism from each of the main parties’ election manifestos. 

Mark Tanzer, Chief Executive