ABTA responds to the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement

ABTA has welcomed the extension of business rate support for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses announced in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. The support, which has been available to travel agents as a Covid-19 recovery measure, was due to end in April 2023 but is now expected to continue for the next financial year with the reduction in rates increased to 75% for eligible businesses. 

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

“We’re pleased the Government has responded to our calls to extend the business rates support for retailers. This is something we have been consistently raising with Government for months and it is welcome that they have chosen to act on our recommendation. The rates relief provides much-needed breathing space for retail travel agents as they work to recover from the detrimental impacts of COVID-19 travel restrictions.

“However, from the overall package, businesses will continue to face higher costs including through the planned revaluation of business rates in April 2023. We will continue to stress to Government the unique position of the travel industry given the reopening of international travel was significantly later than the rest of the UK economy and the need for ongoing support.

“The Government is also planning to increase Air Passenger Duty in line with RPI inflation from 2024-25, While the delayed increase does provide a window for businesses to continue to build on their recovery, it will add extra cost to business trips and holidays in future.”

 

About ABTA
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