24 Oct
2019

Celebrations for Sharm El-Sheikh but on-hold for Brexit

The lifting of restrictions on British Nationals flying to and from Sharm El-Sheikh Airport this week has been celebrated by Members. Sharm El-Sheikh has been a popular destination for UK holidaymakers and the news is of course also very positive for the local economy in a region of Egypt that is heavily reliant on the benefits that travel and tourism bring.

Members will now be considering their plans and making their own decisions on whether to commence flights to Sharm El-Sheikh as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has also updated its travel advice.

ABTA works closely with the FCO to ensure Members and in turn customers are up to date with the latest FCO travel advice whether related to health, local customs or security. Members can sign up to receive bulletins from ABTA by selecting the regions that you would like to receive information about, via your profile on the Member Zone homepage

To help Members talk to customers about the availability of FCO travel advice, which is a stipulation within our Code of Conduct, there is also a free training module on-line here about how and when to raise it.

On the broader front, the Brexit situation remains uncertain. The Prime Minister has announced a ‘pause’ in the legislation to secure the Withdrawal Agreement, following the vote by MPs to demand additional time for scrutiny of the Bill, and now we must await an extension offer from the EU and the UK government’s response. Until an extension has been confirmed, there remains a risk of a no-deal outcome occurring on 31 October, and so contingency plans should remain in place.

Mark Tanzer, Chief Executive