Abta study shows 76% of Brits support EU youth mobility plans

Abta and Seasonal Businesses in Travel (SBiT) have revealed new research showing strong public support for securing a youth experience deal with the EU.

 

The survey findings come as the bodies urges the government to press ahead with negotiations with the EU following May’s UK-EU Summit.

 

A new survey, commissioned by Abta with YouGov, found that 76% of Brits support a deal with the EU to enable young people to work, live, and study overseas for temporary periods.

 

Abta said the poll found “strong support” among all voter types, with even 61% of those who voted to the leave the EU in 2016 in favour of a deal on youth mobility.

 

The associations have previously highlighted how nearly half of outbound industry leaders worked in overseas roles earlier in their careers – and how the sector brings more than £52 billion a year in Gross Value Added (GVA) to the UK economy.

 

More: The EU-UK summit offered reasons for cheer [Comment]

 

Abta recommendation included in select committee report on EU relations

 

Travel bosses lobby government to secure UK-EU youth mobility scheme

 

Abta also said there has also been a “notable fall” in opportunities for young people to find these roles since the UK voted to leave the EU, with the number of UK nationals working in tourism support roles – such as travel reps – having fallen by 69% since then.

 

Furthermore, the bodies are asking the government to prioritise other travel-related areas in future talks with the EU, and note that the polling found strong support for the economic benefits of closer relations with the EU – with 66% of respondents saying they believe a closer relationship would improve the UK economy.

 

The survey also found majority support for general closer relations with the EU, with 57% in favour versus 12% who felt relations should be more distant.

 

Luke Petherbridge, Abta’s public affairs director, said: “We know that travel is one of the most noticeable areas that has been altered by the UK’s departure from the EU – with Brits now having to join different passport queues, and changes to the in-destination experience of UK holidaymakers as it has become harder for travel companies to hire get UK staff into Europe.

 

“We welcomed the UK-EU deal in May. We now need to see progress on the items within the deal, such as enhanced use of e-gates and, importantly, restoring opportunities for young people from the UK to live and work in the EU, which often is the way people take their first steps into a career in travel.

 

“Securing these changes will help the industry to grow and to continue to be successful.”

 

The association also says the government must look to build on the UK-EU agreement in May, by developing further cooperation with the bloc.

 

Petherbridge continued: “There are important changes to border arrangements being made by both sides currently, with the UK introducing our Electronic Travel Authority earlier this year, and the EU’s Entry/Exit System going live in October, to be followed by their own pre-travel authorisation system expected in 2026.

 

“These changes require ongoing attention to avoid disruption, especially for certain types of travel such as those on school trips.

 

“Future deals must be reached to avoid new barriers being placed to travel. The polling undertaken this weekend demonstrates that there is strong support for this approach among the UK public.”

 

Charles Owen, managing director at SBiT, said: “The industry has been held back by the lack of mobility arrangements. Whilst some temporary arrangements have been agreed, these are not universal – and are unilateral, so offer little certainty.

 

“A UK-EU wide agreement will offer a partial solution, and we’d encourage ministers to get on and do the deal.”

 

The poll of 2,224 British adults was conducted on August 25-26.