ABTA recently hosted a parliamentary drop-in event at Westminster, bringing together over 20 MPs and peers to discuss the significant contributions of the UK's outbound travel industry. The event, which followed ABTA's Travel Matters policy conference, included notable attendees such as Shadow Culture Secretary Nigel Huddleston and Dame Caroline Dinenage, Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee.

The gathering aimed to highlight the economic and employment value of the travel sector, which supports more than 800,000 jobs and contributes over £52 billion annually to the UK economy. Representatives from major travel companies, including TUI, Jet2, easyJet, Royal Caribbean, and Virgin Atlantic, engaged with parliamentarians to discuss the industry's regional impact and interconnected nature.

Luke Petherbridge, Director of Public Affairs at ABTA, emphasised the importance of the event, stating, "The event was another important day in ABTA’s role in championing the UK’s outbound travel industry. We know that travel businesses support jobs and growth in every single UK constituency." He further expressed the need for ongoing discussions with the government to ensure the sector remains competitive and continues to drive economic growth.

ABTA plans to follow up with MPs and peers who attended the event to further discuss policy priorities and strengthen parliamentary engagement. This initiative is part of ABTA's ongoing efforts to advocate for the travel industry and influence future policy and fiscal decisions

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