Abta has confirmed Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps will address the Travel Convention next month.
Industry attendees will hope Shapps brings news of a Covid-test regime for travellers and an update on regional travel corridors after announcing an ‘island corridors’ policy on September 7 and confirming: “We are working on a test and quarantine policy.”
At the time, Shapps promised an update “in the coming weeks” on testing “proposals currently being worked on with the industry”.
The 2020 Travel Convention will be a one-day, virtual event on October 14.
Abta said Shapps “will talk about the government’s vision for the future of travel and tourism in the wake of the pandemic and plans in place for current EU travel legislation as the UK approaches the end of the Brexit transition period”.
The association also confirmed a number of other speakers including Foreign Office director for consular affairs Jennifer Anderson, British Ambassador to Portugal Chris Sainty and travel journalist and broadcaster Simon Calder.
Previously confirmed speakers include Dnata Travel Europe chief executive John Bevan, World Travel & Tourism Council president Gloria Guevara, KPMG chief economist Yael Selfin, and Raoul Ruparel, former special advisor on Brexit to Theresa May and now a consultant for Deloitte.
ITV News royal editor Chris Ship will moderate the Convention, themed on ‘Rebuilding Confidence in Travel’.
Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer said: “It feels more important than ever for us to come together to reflect on the past year and discuss how we can rebuild.”
Delegates are encouraged to book by October 9 at thetravelconvention.com