Pacific Asia Tourism Assocation (Pata) chief executive Martin Craigs has launched a scathing attack on chancellor George Osborne over Air Passenger Duty, arguing that if Northern Ireland could force the Chancellor into a U-turn, there was no reason why not the rest of the UK.
Craigs was addressing WTM delegates after Pata’s dinner in the House of Commons on Monday night, which aimed to draw attention to APD and which followed a UK parliamentary debate last week on the tax.
He said that Northern Ireland successfully pressuring Osborne into cutting APD recently on long-haul flights showed that there was no “consistency” in the UK government’s policy.
Craigs said the government saw the travel and tourism industry as “frothy, frivolous and fun”, and therefore saw it as acceptable to keep taxing it.
He called on the travel industry to bare its teeth and take a tougher stance against APD, and for there to be “no more Mr Nice Guy” in its dealings with the government.
“We need more sharp elbows in the corridors of power,” added Craigs.