The boss of travel trade union the TSSA has reiterated calls for tailored support and a dedicated outbound tourism minister – despite admitting his demands are likely to “fall on deaf ears”.
In a New Year message, TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes outlined a number of asks of government which spanned both public transport and the travel industry.
Cortes said a lack of investment in the UK’s railways could lead to the conclusion that “a managed decline was afoot” and said the same conclusion could be drawn for travel.
After outlining his case about a lack of investment in the railway system, he said: “The same can be said of our travel industry which has been battered by Covid. Omicron has come at a particularly bad time for travel.
“It may fall on deaf ears but I want to repeat my call for sector specific support and a minister for travel.
“As we look across the next twelve months it’s possible to see a way forward, and it should not be rocket science in one of the richest countries in the world.”
Cortes added: “In time we hope Covid will fade into the background of our lives. The immediate crisis will be over – but it will be the choices made by government right now which shape our longer-term economic recovery.”
And he said: “I want to be upbeat as we turn a page into a new year, and I hope Covid can be conquered in 2022. There can be green shoots of both health and economic recovery but only if the right decisions are made by those in power.”