PATA calls for urgent review of UK ‘travel tax’ (Lead) PAGE 2
Contributors are not employed, compensated or governed by TD, opinions and statements are from the contributor directly
The Pacific Asia Travel Association believes that the British government must review as a matter of urgency its decision to increase air passenger duty.
“It’s no more than a draconian, punitive tax on business and on families. Destinations across the Asia Pacific region are battling against the dramatic impacts of the global economic downturn. The World Trade Organisation states, quite rightly, that travel and tourism can be an effective part of the G20 stimulus packages – and yet the British government sees fit to maintain its plan to impose these dramatic increases in departure tax,” says PATA President and CEO Greg Duffell.
“What PM Gordon Brown giveth, Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling taketh away. The Chancellor is acting like a modern day Sheriff of Nottingham – imposing ill conceived, unfair and unjustified burdens on travellers and the tourism industry. We are very disappointed that the recent Budget Statement failed to address this issue.
“This policy will surely backfire. Savvy travellers will choose long-haul destinations out of airports in continental Europe – and that’s a serious threat to businesses and jobs in the UK,” adds Greg Duffell.
PATA believes these latest tax increases place a disproportionate burden on travel and tourism and are little more than a further method of generating revenue for the British government under the very dubious cover of consolidating its green credentials.
Comments are closed.