As leaders, we have a responsibility in good times and bad to step up and lead. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying for one minute leaders have all the answers, but in times of crisis, we have no choice but to step up as so many are looking for direction and the reassurance that someone has our back.

Throughout this pandemic, our government’s response has been shambolic – inconsistent messages and ill thought-out measures have left a nation in pieces.

We are in a health crisis so clearly every measure must be taken to control the virus, but surely this has to be risk managed.

My job as a mother is to protect my children, at any cost. Be it their wellbeing or health. However, this isn’t at any cost because there are other factors as a parent I must consider, including their education, future prospects and, importantly, their mental wellbeing.

As a leader in business, we must also take a risk-based approach to decisions we make in the knowledge that sometimes we will get it wrong.

But it’s about how we manage ourselves, how visible we are, and the respect we have for those we are leading that are important.

What we saw at the weekend with the leaking of the government’s plans and the hours of anxiety that followed was like something out of a spoof – who will take responsibility for that?

Who will take responsibility for the thousands of business owners who face financial crisis? Who had planned for redundancies on the back of furlough ending?

Businesses plan months in advance, and while we are now operating in a much more agile environment than ever before, we simply cannot put plans in place on a Friday and have them changed by the Monday. 

That’s not real life, and it’s not realistic to expect the travel industry to pivot that fast – or that drastically.

Travel agents face a real crisis. Their business models and how they generate their income leaves them in a uniquely fragile position. We have already seen businesses fail as a direct result of Covid, and many thousands of jobs have already been lost.

The ban on international and domestic travel as a result of the new lockdown measures will crucify the travel industry.

While we absolutely support measures to keep us all safe, the reality of the new lockdown means many of our travel agency members will not last the year without a financial support package from the government.

Our members have cut jobs by 50% since March, and 80% will run out of cash by May [2021].

We urge the chancellor to consider an immediate extension of the provision of government underwritten loans to businesses of all sizes, and an HMRC holiday for six months for the travel industry – these measures could be make or break for many travel agents up and down the country.

While a month’s extension of the furlough scheme is welcome, to announce this on the eve of the scheme ending demonstrates the lack of business intelligence the government has when planning for financial support measures.

Job losses through redundancies have already happened, making the furlough extension more tokenistic than helpful. Since the summer, the travel industry has been crying out for a testing regime to be implemented at UK points of entry, and we are still waiting.

Instead, we have an increase in Covid cases, an ineffective yo-yo quarantine system, and a lack of travel corridors, which is adversely impacting an industry that happens to sell travel – with no recognition or sector-specific support.

This new travel ban will, without doubt, lead to unwelcome déjà vu in terms of providing advice and support to confused travellers, and a rush on refunds which will again put pressure on travel agents whose bottom line is sinking lower and lower.

As I stood pitchside at the weekend for my son’s Sunday League football match for what is now likely to be the last time for a month, I am determined to turn my anger into strength and courage to continue championing support for travel agents and the industry alike.

Julia Lo Bue-Said is chief executive of the Advantage Travel Partnership.