This week I was pleased to host a meeting with trade bodies from across the travel industry to discuss how we can continue working together to lobby government on the need for specific support to save jobs and businesses in the travel industry, following the coronavirus crisis.

Luke Petherbridge, ABTA’s Director of Public Affairs, and I met via video conference with representatives from the Advantage Travel Partnership, AITO, ATAS, the BTA, the SPAA, and UKinbound and discussed how we can increase coordination and activities around our shared objectives such as regionalising quarantine, introducing testing and ongoing salary and grant support schemes.

Now that MPs have returned to Parliament this week, and with the Budget nearing closer, it is important that as an industry we come together as one voice to highlight the vital strategic importance of travel for the wider UK economy, as businesses that employ hundreds of thousands of people, underpin the country’s aviation connectivity, and support inward investment and export earnings. 

Going forward we will work together as the Save Future Travel Coalition, meeting regularly to exchange insight and knowledge and undertake joint activities to try to secure the targeted support the industry desperately needs. 

The door is open for other interested travel trade bodies and associations to join the Save Future Travel Coalition, and any organisations that are interested in getting involved are invited to contact ABTA.
 

Mark Tanzer, Chief Executive

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