Travel industry bosses were told to step up and show leadership to help the industry survive the coronavirus pandemic.
The message came from former minister of state for trade and investment and cross-bench peer Lord Digby Jones at a Travel Weekly Business Breakfast yesterday.
Lord Jones said the coronavirus outbreak is a crisis, but he added he was confident that it was being addressed in the right way.
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“The first thing we should understand is the Brits do very well in a crisis – we are good at it. This is not partisan nationalism, this is a nationalistic trait. We are pretty good at handling a crisis.
“We should not take that for granted, but it does give you confidence that there won’t be any knee jerk reaction.
“I do hope this is not going to be tribalistic and politicised because they [the politicians] cannot do right for doing wrong.
“We are all going to have PHDs in hindsight but it’s difficult to call this politically. I think, at the moment, this is being handled very well indeed, but it’s a daily issue.”
Lord Jones said the UK will end up with an epidemic and while many people will only experience mild flu-like symptoms the vulnerable and infirm are “going to tragically, and sadly, probably die”.
Although coronavirus has not killed as many people as seasonal flu, he said the worry is there is no vaccine for this virus and it is “intensely virulent”.
“We have to consistently try to get it into some form of context. In that respect my concern is the herd instinct; the alarm that people will make decisions that will hurt your businesses.
“Retail and leisure will be hit hard. We are seeing share prices hit, people not coming to work and key meetings are not happening.”
Lord Jones called on the internet giants to crack down on fake news and misinformation about the virus because this is feeding the herd instinct “which is actually going to ruin this industry”.
“Everyone one of us has to show a form of leadership,” he said.
“If we are in a position where what we say or the example we set can alter lives we should step up to the plate and assume the mantel of leadership.”
He added: “We are in this together, lead from the front by example. This crisis is going to horrible, but pull this off and you will make relationships in your sector that will last a lifetime.
“You will help each other and individually when you are under the cash people will never forget you.
“If you do not and let this destroy us, believe me, not just your clients but those who work in your businesses will never forgive you.”
Lord Digby Jones was speaking at a Travel Weekly Business Breakfast in partnership with Google and supported by headline sponsor The Travel Network Group and Webloyalty.