Abta has warned that more than 90,000 travel jobs have been lost or are at risk across the travel sector amid the pandemic.
The Association of travel agents and tour operators (Abta) have written to Chancellor Rishi Sunak asking for support before more businesses cease trading and thousands more jobs lost.
Abta warned that the industry has reached a “critical point” as more jobs are likely to go unless the government put in place measures to protect the travel industry.
Last week the student travel firm STA Travel UK ceased trading as they had “no choice” due to the impact coronavirus has had on the tourism market.
A published Abta survey reveals that 18% of jobs in outbound travel have already been lost or are at risk, but 78% of businesses are expecting to enter into redundancy conversations in the coming months.
Abta’s chief executive Mark Tanzer warned that unless the government intervenes more travel businesses will enter into administration.
Tanzer said, “With the government’s stop-start measures, the restart of travel has not gone as hoped for the industry, and sadly businesses continue to be adversely affected and jobs are being lost at an alarming rate.
“Coming towards the end of the traditional period for peak booking, we have hit a critical point as existing government measures to support businesses begin to taper off, the consequence of which, according to this survey of Abta members, will be ruinous for more people’s livelihoods.
“Travel desperately needs the government in its next review to provide tailored support or tens of thousands more jobs will be lost.”
It has been estimated that over 39,000 jobs have already been lost and are at risk in the outbound sector, and this will rise to more than 90,000 when supply chains are affected.
Abta are calling on the government to extend business support measures and provide recovery grants and ongoing salary support until 2022.
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