ABTA is to put pressure on the UK’s chief political parties over further increases in Air Passenger Duty (APD).
Head of public affairs George Blundell-Pound said following the rise of APD on Sunday (November 1), ABTA would be taking a more proactive approach with the decision-makers than simply campaigning against the further rises planned for 2010.
Instead, he said, as the parties are drawing up their election manifestos, ABTA will be engaging with them to ensure the travel industry’s needs are recognised by UK politicians.
He added: “Rather than a simple, straightforward campaign against APD, which is still high on our agenda, we are now into manifesto time until the election.”
As part of the association’s ongoing battle against the APD hikes, Luke Pollard, who will replace Blundell-Pound as head of public affairs later this month, will be holding meetings at World Travel Market 2009 next week with representatives of destinations affected by the recent rises, including South Africa, Kenya and the Caribbean.
Blundell-Pound also expressed surprise at Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling’s admission last month that the money raised by APD is being used to prop up the banking crisis.
He said: “I was flabbergasted by the Chancellor saying that APD was there to prop banks up. If that was the objective then why were we told all along it was a green tax?
“The approach is very short-sighted in the extreme. It’ll drive passenger numbers down and in the end it’ll be a disadvantage to the Chancellor rather than a gain.”
Meanwhile, Caribbean Tourism Organisation director of marketing UK and Europe, Carol Hay, said despite the destination not being rebanded in a cheaper sector before the APD increases, she is still hopeful the Caribbean may yet be downgraded.