The outbound travel industry “has to improve” its government lobbying, Julia Lo Bue-Said has insisted, warning the sector faces a “major crisis” as business costs soar.
The Advantage Travel Partnership chief executive has been arguing for months for a new grouping to represent the outbound sector in addition to the Future Travel Coalition, of which Advantage is a member.
She said: “The industry has to improve the way it represents itself to government and drive a narrative about the social and economic value of outbound travel.
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“We all saw the devastation caused by the pandemic lockdowns and the damage done for minuscule benefit. We all have a duty to be lobbying the government.” She added: “We need to make the case for targeted support.”
Lo Bue-Said made clear she still intends to bring forward plans for a new lobbying approach, saying: “We’re asking how we can do things differently to ensure our voice is heard. Over the last 10 months, we’ve been trying to align the industry not just on talking but on action.”
She promised to say more “in a few weeks’ time”.
Yet Lo Bue-Said acknowledged it would not be possible for the sector to speak solely with one voice.
“It’s a complex industry,” she said.
“I work closely with a lot of travel bodies. We’re all on the same page, but there are nuances. We’re all aligned, but we can’t all speak with one voice. The SPAA [Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association] is always going to focus on Scotland. The Business Travel Association is always going to focus on corporate travel.
“We have to be realistic. The reality is it’s a fragmented industry. We work collectively, but we can’t all speak with one voice because sometimes we have other priorities.”
However, she noted: “Lots of sectors share a strong voice, but don’t speak with a single voice.”
Lo Bue-Said added: “I’m also a realist in terms of the priorities for government. But that doesn’t mean we can’t make the case for our sector. You can’t lobby too much.”
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