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WTTC: UK government has a month to save travel industry
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) warned the UK government that time is ticking to save the travel industry.
With the furlough scheme soon coming to an end, it has less than 30 days to take actiony.
WTTC also warned that unless international travel opens up more widely, the UK is facing a potential loss of £59.4 billion.
Hundreds of thousands of employees in the travel and tourism sector are still benefiting from the furlough scheme, which is due to end by next month.
It coincides with the next Global Travel Taskforce review on 1 October, and the WTTC warns that unless travel is opened up significantly by then, many more people working in the sector could face losing their jobs.
WTTC estimates that £59.4 billion could be lost from the UK’s economy if travel remains curtailed over the final quarter of 2021.
Julia Simpson, WTTC President and CEO said: "Even more jobs in tourism could be lost in 30 days’ time, if significant travel doesn’t resume by the same time the furlough scheme ends. Companies are facing a desperate future unless the government supports the sector."
"We should allow all fully jabbed citizens and visitors to enter the UK with a negative Covid test. There should be no need for quarantine and excessive, expensive testing requirements."
It says the next month ‘is critical to get travel back on track.’
To do this, the government should finally abandon the traffic light system.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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