The petition was set up by Encounters Travel sales manager Anthony Horrobin, and has spread quickly throughout the sector.

By 8am on Wednesday (9 September), the petition had been signed by just shy of 29,000, the majority of signatures coming in the past week.

"While many industries are now able to trade either fully or partially, the travel industry is being disproportionately affected by travel restrictions and quarantines being imposed by the government," said Horrobin.

"Many people have spent their lives working in the industry, and once all this is over, those skilled employees will be once again required to plan and take the nation on holiday.

"While restrictions remain in place, imposed by the government, we cannot trade fully or make a recovery."

Petitions lodged on parliament’s official petitions platform require government to issue a formal response within five days if they achieve more than 10,000 signatures, so a reply is due in the coming days.

If the petition reaches 10,000 signatures, it will be considered for a debate in parliament.

Furlough is seen as a particularly important lifeline to travel, particularly with the winter low season approaching.

Travel firms have not been able to tap the scheme to the same extent as other sectors owing to the statutory requirements travel faces to process and issue refunds, and also the need to rebook clients’ trips if they are cancelled or postponed.

A sector-specific extension to the furlough scheme for travel is both a call of the TTG-led #SaveTravel campaign, and of Abta’s.

Visit the Parliament UK petitions website to read and sign the petition.