Agency consortia hope members will have better luck applying for fresh Additional Restrictions Grants from local authorities but warn support remains minimal for struggling businesses.
In December, the government announced an extra £1 billion in funding for businesses in England.
This included £683 million for hospitality and leisure firms affected by Omicron and a £102 million top‑up for the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) fund.
The guidance specifically lists “group travel, travel agents and tour operators and coach operators” as eligible for an ARG. Businessses can apply until March. Local councils decide which firms are most in need.
Advantage Travel Partnership leisure director Kelly Cookes said: “With agents and operators specifically highlighted I’d hope this would make a difference in terms of prioritising these businesses, but £102 million nationwide is still not a large pot for businesses that have had 20 months of minimal trading.”
The consortium is surveying members to gauge application success rates after “mixed results” with previous ARG applications, which Cookes described as “pot luck”.
The Travel Network Group has a template email to help members apply to local authorities.
A spokeswoman said the group was “doing everything we can” to help members obtain grants from councils, adding: “We’re also continuing to send our own letters to the chancellor and the Department for Business, sadly with no responses so far.”
Spear Travels chairman Peter Cookson said agents should not have to go through the ARG application process from scratch again. Last April, Spear secured grants for just two of the agency’s 12 shops.
He said: “Give us one simple form to apply for ARG grants. Don’t leave it to councils to set the parameters.”
Abta has urged agents in England to reapply for a share of the funding, regardless of whether they received money in the past.
A spokesman said the new guidance followed “direct engagement by Abta with officials and ministers”. Businesses that have already received grants up to the maximum permitted subsidy levels will not be eligible, meaning agents could now have a better chance of success, said Abta.
Campaign group Target (Travel Agents Reform Group Engaged Together) also encouraged agents to apply “straight away” for an ARG after updated government advice made it “clear” agents should be considered.