Travel is one of the industries most affected by Brexit. From flying people abroad and making sure Brits are in resort to support holidaymakers, to having protections in place if things go wrong – all of these are underpinned by our EU membership. This is why a deal that works for both sides is vital.
With this in mind, Abta has just published research into the economic value of UK outbound travel to the EU. We have looked at all areas touched by travel, from the impact on national economies to the jobs and businesses supported by UK travellers. The research also reflects on the importance of the industry to the UK.
The numbers are striking. In 2016, UK trips to the EU generated more than €37 billion – directly through wages and indirectly through supply chains. More than 870,000 jobs across the EU were supported by British travellers, with more than 440,000 businesses supported.
Seven of the most popular summer sun destinations in the EU – the Sunshine Seven in Abta’s report – are Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus and Malta. In 2016, more than 34 million UK travellers visited these destinations.
Spain is our biggest destination, with more than 14 million UK visitors in 2016. Those trips generated €13 billion for the Spanish economy and supported more than 235,000 jobs; almost 6% of all Spanish businesses are linked to UK tourism.
Then there’s Malta, which has a smaller population and economy than the other Sunshine Seven, so the importance of UK holidaymakers here is amplified, with 16% of all businesses in Malta linked to UK tourism.
It is not just the EU27 that benefit from UK outbound travel; it is also hugely valuable to the UK. The average UK traveller spends £324 on their holidays before they’ve left the UK, and outbound travellers are worth more than £28 billion a year to the UK economy. The industry supports more than 380,000 jobs.
We have produced this report to show the interconnected nature of travel and tourism. It matters not just to British holidaymakers but also to people working in Portuguese shops, Spanish hotels and Maltese restaurants.
Abta will use the findings in future lobbying work. We will be speaking to politicians at home, in Brussels where the talks are taking place, and in destination countries. The report will give our friends in those countries the ammunition they need to speak to their governments; to remind them that it is in everyone’s interests that a good deal is struck.
Our research underlines what many in travel already know: that travel and tourism are industries with a big impact. That’s why Abta will call for our concerns to be prioritised when negotiations proper finally start. Getting a sensible deal is in the interests of everyone across Europe. We cannot afford to get it wrong.
Alan Wardle is director of public affairs at Abta
