The co-founders of lobby group Target – Travel Agents Reform Group Engaged Together – are calling on the industry to unite for “one last push” to lobby MPs for sector-specific financial support.
Jill Waite (Pole Travel), co-founder, said most travel businesses face a huge challenge at the end of September, when the furlough scheme ends.
“At least 100,000 jobs are at risk in the travel industry unless the government provides sector-specific support,” she said.
“We need everyone in the travel industry to unite in demanding sector-specific support.”
Co-founder Graeme Brett (Westoe Travel) added: “Travel agents from all of the UK are telling us how worried they are about how long businesses can survive after September 30.
“[The end of furlough] and a cocktail of financial pressures will see business closures and job losses on a massive scale.”
They outlined financial pressures such as repayments of business loans taken out during lockdown, payment of deferred VAT and redundancy costs – all against a backdrop of “substantially reduced” income from the summer season.
“We need all of the travel industry, including trade bodies, publications, consortia, tour operators, airlines, cruise companies and airports to hammer home the message to the government,” said Brett.
Waite added: “Some of the trade bodies and travel leaders have gone quiet in the last few weeks.
“We need all of the trade bodies spending every minute of every day getting the message across to the chancellor and the government.”