Many thousands have now signed a petition urging ministers to outline a plan to support and protect the travel industry.
The Save Future Travel Coalition petition has attracted more than 6,500 signatures – up from 1,500 on Tuesday – as the trade comes together to lobby for government action.
The petition needs 10,000 signatures for the government to respond and 100,000 signatures to be discussed in Parliament.
Trade bodies involved in the group are appealing to travel industry professionals to sign the petition, which calls for a fully-regionalised quarantine policy, the introduction of Covid-19 testing at airports, and a review of the chancellor’s Job Support Scheme
The coalition’s petition also wants to see grants for small and medium-sized businesses in the sector, help for those that missed out on previous state support during the Covid-19 crisis and Air Passenger Duty relief for summer 2021.
It warns that chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Winter Economy Plan does not do enough to support travel firms and save jobs at a time when measures to control the virus have dented confidence in travel and delayed recovery.
The petition was created by Abta public affairs director Luke Petherbridge with backing from industry groups including Advantage Travel Partnership, Aito, Atas, the Business Travel Association, Clia, Seasonal Businesses in Travel, Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association and The Travel Network Group.
They are also urging travel companies to lobby individual MPs to highlight the need for specific support for the travel sector.
Meanwhile, Geoffrey Kent, founder and co-chairman of Abercrombie & Kent, responded to government hints that Covid testing for international arrivals could be trialled this autumn.
He said: “The UK government could be world-leading in their approach to testing on arrival and allowing the movement of people, however, we don’t even have routine temperature testing at our airports and anecdotal feedback is that follow up to check that quarantine rules are being followed is at best inconsistent.
“This isn’t only about testing on arrival, but more accessible testing across the board, allowing people to move more freely and provide evidence that they are Covid free.
“The current system the government uses would essentially ban themselves from visiting many countries if the rules were reversed.”
Kent added: “The existing protocols were the right move for a short-term problem, however, it is clear that this is not a temporary problem and without sensible changes, every aspect of the travel industry from tour operators to airlines will be devastated.
“The government has a lot on their plate right now and have rightly prioritised our health care system. However, I do believe that given the importance of the economic outlook and given that the outbound travel industry is worth £10 billion, it hasn’t had the airtime it deserves.”
He also warned that this health crisis will become a conservation crisis.
“Poaching is on the rise as lost income drives local people to look for alternate ways to support their families,” Kent said.
“And without guides and visitors from safari camps, there are fewer eyes watching out for endangered species as well as less donations to philanthropic causes that help local communities.”
To sign the petition click here.
