It was a dramatic claim, but one unlikely to be refuted by most people working in travel. He was of course speaking of false illness claims, an issue which, as TTG first revealed in October, Abta was growing increasingly concerned about.

Since then, bogus claims have infected the sector. Hoteliers in Spain have threatened to stop accepting Brits and Jet2holidays has taken to using private detectives to root out untruthful claims. I regularly hear radio adverts urging consumers to contact various law firms about holiday sickness, and there are growing reports of sly touts in resorts approaching tourists.

Abta has been working hard behind the scenes to combat the issue, but as we reveal, the association has now stepped up its campaign. Abta and key industry partners are demanding a meeting with justice secretary David Lidington, while Tui’s David Burling revealed at the ITT Conference that Tui Group is now liaising with City of London police “on the activities” of certain claims management companies.

As Burling underlined in an interview with TTG Media managing director Daniel Pearce at last week’s conference, the key thing is that “everyone works together on this”. The repercussions are simply too great; from the agents and operators facing hefty legal fees if they challenge the claims, to the consumers facing rises in holiday prices as travel firms pass costs on.

We must work collectively if we want to persuade government to provide a cure for this malady.

Make a pledge for inclusivity
This week TTG launches the TTG Diversity Charter in our latest step to promote diversity in the travel sector. It follows a survey conducted by TTG earlier this year, which highlighted that there is still work to be done to ensure everyone feels comfortable in the workplace. The charter already has the backing of several travel companies – add your name to the list!