Tanzer insisted to TTG the sector had achieved success with joint lobbying despite some differences from within. “Collaboration where we have common interests going forward is clearly to be desired,” said the Abta chief executive.
“People often say the travel sector doesn’t have a single voice – well, it’s a sector rather than an industry. The priorities of an international airline are not necessarily going to be the same as an independent travel agent, while on some issues, they are maybe not as divergent.
“We may be arguing there should be compulsory failure insurance for scheduled flights, they don’t want that. We have to recognise we’re not going to align completely on all the issues.”
More: ’Travel will be rewarded in the long run,’ says Abta chief
Tanzer said one likely area of agreement was decarbonisation and sustainability. “Working together, not just talking together, is going to be essential to show we’re making progress towards net zero by 2050.”
He said travel’s lobbying efforts had been successful despite criticism from some quarters. “If you talk to ministers, as I do, they say – actually – the voice of travel has got through. The fact we haven’t won all that we asked for isn’t necessarily because the voice hasn’t been heard.”
Tanzer said many pandemic decisions were “partly based on epidemiology and data, and partly political”. “Political decisions seem to be very centralised around number 10," he reflected.
"Even departments have been caught out when the secretary of state has said one thing and a couple of days later, the government has made a decision that is quite contrary to that. It shows that however well-meaning and well-informed and expert the departments are, they don’t always call the shots.
"The chopping and changing has really been damaging consumer confidence, even apart from what the restrictions are. I hope we’ll have less of that."
He added: "There’s always a battle for outbound leisure travel politically in that it’s seen as, if not exactly hostile to domestic leisure, but certainly second order priority.
"I feel outbound travel is a political orphan. I would like to see a minister that has this as a part of their portfolio going forward."
TTG+ members can watch TTG’s full turn-of-year interview with Tanzer here.
