The Business Travel Coalition has welcomed a freeze in Air Passenger Duty rises but vowed to fight on for a reduction in the tax.
Chairman Kevin Mitchell said news in today’s Budget speech that APD would not rise until next year would be good news for the “viability of the UK national transport system” and for destinations heavily reliant on British holidaymakers.
But he said: “The current levels of duty still represent a huge problem and they must be radically reduced to bring the UK back into competitive alignment with other countries for meetings, incentive trips and conventions.
“The next order of business is to expand the coalition of concerned parties outside the UK and deepen communications with government officials.”
On Monday this week, 70 corporate travel departments of travel management companies and tour operators worldwide wrote to chancellor George Osborne calling for a reduction in APD.