Abtot membership director Samantha Bradbury said the body, alongside Advantage and Aito, would work on raising the issues affecting its members with politicians from all sides.

“We aim to shed light on the real issues Abtot members grapple with daily by standing together, amplifying our shared concerns and working towards practical solutions on the political landscape,” she said.

Created in 1993 in response to Package Travel Regulations, Abtot has become one of the biggest membership groups and bonding providers in travel.

One of the UK’s largest OTAs, Lastminute.com, left Abta and switched its bonding to Abtot earlier this year. Another firm, Attraction Tickets, joined from Abta last year.

Advantage chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said said Abtot would help its members secure meetings with their local MPs, and “spread the word further about the relevance of the UK outbound travel industry in terms of its huge delivery to the UK economy”.

“With the likelihood of an election, and, possibly, a new government within the next 12 months, it’s important we mobilise ourselves still further, improving Westminster’s understanding of the UK outbound travel industry and ensuring we are recognised by the various government departments that control our future,” Lo Bue-Said said.