The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has urged the UK Government and EU authorities to implement exceptional flexibility around consumer refunds to alleviate the unbearable pressure on the Travel & Tourism sector.
Research conducted by WTTC shows that one million Travel & Tourism jobs are now being lost in the UK, with at least 6.4 million across the EU and a staggering 75 million globally due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
WTTC, which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, says that increasing flexibility will have a profound effect on reducing the intense financial strain being experienced by the majority of tour operators and travel agents, online and offline.
WTTC is calling for EU governments to show exceptional flexibility around the existing Package Travel Requirements, which are not fit for purposes in the current crisis and should be suspended at least until August.
Consumer protection will be unaffected, but travel agents and tour operators will have more time to refund those customers choosing to cancel their existing bookings. The current 14-day timeline for refunds is putting enormous burdens on businesses in the Travel & Tourism sector and will lead to major bankruptcies. These, in turn, will lead to more claims by consumers on credit card firms and ultimately government bonded schemes.
Gloria Guevara, WTTC President and CEO, said: “This measure should be implemented immediately and help lift the already crushing financial pressure on Travel & Tourism organisations and save the millions of livelihoods that depend on them.”
