The call comes as businesses across the UK are facing a rise in their furlough contributions in August while the stuttering resumption of international travel has been “too slow for businesses to be able to fully capitalise on the peak summer months”.
The coalition is made up of 16 leading travel associations and bodies, including Abta, Aito, Clia, SPAA, Business Travel Association, UKinbound Advantage Travel Partnership and The Travel Network Group (TTNG).
The group is calling for chancellor Rishi Sunak and business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng to “commit to ongoing financial support” for the UK’s international travel industry.
This would include furlough and other income support schemes, 100% business rates relief for the full financial year, and a dedicated grant scheme to help travel firms through the next few months.
Firms are having to increase their contributions to the furlough scheme from 1 August to 20% of hours not worked by employees up to £625 per month.
Mark Tanzer, Abta’s chief executive, said: “International travel hasn’t returned to the extent that all businesses feel confident they’ll make it through the pandemic and the government has done nothing in terms of providing tailored financial support for travel agents and tour operators.
“There are still a lot of very worried companies out there, particularly the smaller, independent agents and operators, who aren’t seeing anywhere near the level of bookings they need to cover their costs – let alone return any sort of profit.”
While Clive Wratten, chief executive of the Business Travel Association, warned business travel was not expected to “return at scale” until at least 2022.
“We urge the government to produce tailored financial support for our industry to save jobs and retain talent so that safe and secure international travel can return,” added Wratten.
“Without further support, we face a future where there are not the people in the sector to facilitate British businesses’ return to the international trading stage.”
