The travel industry is ‘destitute’, says Advantage boss

The UK travel industry is ‘destitute’ with nothing left to sell according to the head of Advantage Travel Partnership.

Responding to the government’s removal of Italy from the list of quarantine-free countries yesterday, Julia Lo Bue-Said, CEO at Advantage Travel Partnership, said: "With Italy now removed from the UK government’s ‘safe list’ of travel corridors, and with the increase in Covid cases at home and across Europe, travel agents selling overseas travel have come to a standstill with virtually nothing left to sell."

She said the lack of financial support for travel agents has created a number of business failures, close to 100,000 jobs in the UK lost or at risk and a job support scheme which adds ‘no support to businesses like travel agents who are open but due to government imposed border restrictions have no income’.

"Understandably, consumer confidence is low and we must work with the government to find a way, when appropriate to resume flights and travel for both business and leisure travel."

"With little to no revenue being generated since March there has been significant repercussions on businesses and jobs at risk, meaning there is a mental health crisis looming, which has been demonstrated through our recent case studies. This leaves an industry destitute and in need of urgent government support to ensure it can survive the pandemic and ensure Britain is back to being connected as a global nation," she said.

ABTA said Italy’s removal was a ‘major blow’ for many winter operators and demonstrates that travel businesses are ‘effectively being forced to close’.

"The removal of Italy from the travel corridors list is a major blow for many winter operators in the UK travel industry, and again demonstrates that travel businesses are effectively being forced to close by the government’s measures to control coronavirus – yet, unlike other sectors such as hospitality, travel has received no sector specific support.

It called on the government to introduce testing and country specific foreign travel advice.

"Without these measures, we will continue to see travel businesses failing and tens of thousands more jobs will be lost," said an ABTA spokesperson.

Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said the government’s travel corridors system has ‘all but collapsed’ with most destinations now removed from the list and holidaymakers with trips booked to Italy for half term facing the potentially lengthy and stressful process of trying to claw their money back from their airline or travel provider.

"The travel industry is in dire need of urgent targeted support if it is to survive the winter months. The government must look to seriously reform the sector, in order to help struggling companies that are prepared to meet their legal obligations to holidaymakers and ensure people are protected when coronavirus restrictions prevent them from travelling as planned."

By Louise Longman, Contributing Editor (UK)