UK travel companies have moved swiftly to help victims of
the devastating Southeast Asian tsunami.
In an overwhelming show of support, all sectors of the industry
have united to raise cash and send vital supplies to areas left in
ruins by the Boxing Day earthquake and tidal wave.
The move comes as the trade urges holidaymakers not to abandon
travel plans to affected areas and reports most customers are
choosing alternative destinations rather than cancelling trips.
Days after the disaster, industry charity Just a Drop – which
works on water and sanitation projects in third-world countries
– arranged for drinking water to be shipped to Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, the charity’s patron, explorer John
Blatchford-Snell, is in talks with a Hong Kong businessman to
organise a £1 million aid drop in association with Save the
Children.
“In a disaster like this the first thing people need after
shelter is access to clean water to prevent the onslaught of
another disaster – cholera and other waterborne
diseases,” said Just a Drop chairwoman Fiona Jeffrey.
Meanwhile, Quest Travel managing director Dave Simmons is
spearheading the ‘Travel Aid 50’ initiative, which
urges companies to donate 50p per booking to tsunami relief
projects.
More than 25 firms have agreed to take part so far, with others
offering donations. Participants include web giants Ebookers and
Lastminute.com.
Companies taking part will feature a Travel Aid 50 logo. This will
be promoted in several national newspapers – which have
donated free advertising space – this Sunday.
“We want to concentrate on re-establishing communities and
rebuilding infrastructure,” said Simmons. “There has
been overwhelming support for the idea of raising money this
way.”
Cash raised by Travel Aid 50 will be spent by the Pacific Asia
Travel Association, which has its own fundraising appeal.
“We’ve got the expertise on the ground to identify
projects that need help,” said PATA UK chairman Tim Robinson.
PATA is also co-ordinating a recovery effort, drawing on experience
gained from its post-SARS campaign.
In a separate move, Travel Counsellors launched the Travel Industry
Earthquake Appeal with a donation of £10,000, providing a
central point for industry collections. “It’s an easy
way to co-ordinate fundraising,” said Travel Counsellors MD
Steven Byrne. “Money is sent on to the central Disaster
Emergency Committee fund each day.”
The Association of Independent Tour Operators hopes to raise
£30,000 to fund a sanitation project in Sri Lanka.
Large donations came from One&Only Resorts, which operates in
the Maldives, and Far East specialist Trailfinders, who contributed
£100,000. Hilton Group, which has five properties in affected
areas, donated £200,000.
Already many companies have been directly involved in relief
efforts. British Airways is giving its ‘Change For
Good’ on-board donations to Unicef relief projects this
month. A BA repatriation flight moved 45 UK survivors from Brussels
to London at no charge.
First Choice Airways took a rescue flight to the Maldives of 18
tons of fresh water and is collecting donations on inbound flights
this month.
TUI UK flew water, clothing and medicines to the Maldives and is
running collections on all flights.
Thomas Cook Airlines took a rescue flight to Colombo, returning
with 235 passengers. Emirates, Thai Airways and Sri Lankan Airlines
all carried aid and Virgin Atlantic operated a relief flight to Sri
Lanka.