Why is there no support for UK Travel companies?

 PlainSailing.com Press Release 

Issued 14th January 2021

And so it goes on: by the end of the current National lockdown, we will have spent almost a whole year of living under the shadow of these restrictions: a year of staying locked safely in our homes, and avoiding the virus, people and most forms of fun in almost equal measure.

Of course, travel has also been expressly forbidden for most of the year – and yet the travel sector hasn’t been mentioned or supported in any of Rishi’s budgets, and you won’t have heard much about travel companies in the media (the travel column inches have been hogged by chaotic border closures and complaints about how long it takes airlines to pay out refunds).

There have been many travel companies – including big names like STA travel, Shearings, Ocean Independence and many others – who have been unable to weather the storm, and countless others who are no doubt in difficulty: after the ski-season was abandoned early in 2020, it’s hard to see how any ski-travel companies will cope with missing the best part of the 2021 season as well, if not all of it.

These were all viable businesses before the travel restrictions, and it just isn’t fair or right that there’s no support to counter the travel restrictions imposed by the current UK Government. The Chancellor said that he “will do whatever it takes” to protect our country and our businesses, and we’ve seen support for pubs and restaurants, manufacturing, the arts and other industries who have been much less affected by Coronavirus – why is nothing being done to support the travel industry?

We’d urge anyone who wants to go on holiday again to contact their MP urgently to ask them to take action to correct this.

 PlainSailing.com comment 

Tommy, co-founder of PlainSailing.com, said “It’s extremely disappointing that there’s so little support available for travel companies, despite the fact that the Government-imposed travel restrictions and mandatory quarantine have literally stopped them from trading: people can’t go on holiday, and if people can’t go on holiday, then travel businesses cannot make the money they need to operate.

“The Government regularly claim to be propping up businesses to the tune of billions and billions of pounds, but sadly the travel sector haven’t seen any sector specific support, and the ongoing failure of this Government to get a handle on this virus means that travel restrictions could be in place indefinitely.

“I’d urge the Chancellor and the UK Government to recognise the damage inflicted on travel companies, and to give the travel industry the support that it needs.“