The Travel Industry Alliance (TIA) has taken the next step towards reaching their aim of greater visibility and voice for the travel and tourism industry across government by joining The Future of Aviation Group.
The FOAG was set up to campaign for government support for the aviation, travel and tourism sectors as they look to recover from the impacts of the Coronavirus. The group which was set up in May 2020 provides the secretariat to the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Future of Aviation, which is chaired by Henry Smith, the Conservative MP for Crawley, which includes Gatwick Airport.
A key focus of the FOAG is to build political support for the industry and to ensure that parliamentarians are regularly briefed on the impacts of the pandemic by leading industry figures. Their current focus is on the need for a comprehensive support package for the aviation, travel and tourism sectors and a pathway for safe reopening of international travel, a call which was recently backed by 86 parliamentarians.
Along with key aviation associations and networks, the TIA with its nine trade associations and over 7,500 member companies, will join current FOAG member ABTA to represent a full cross section of the travel industry.
Danny Callaghan, Co-Chairman of the TIA and CEO of LATA commented: “With this disruption likely to last through 2021 at least in some form, it is essential that the Government work with industry and all interested parties to ensure that our world class aviation, travel and tourism industries recover from the greatest challenge they have ever faced.”
Derek Moore, Deputy Chairman of AITO and also Co-Chairman of the TIA added: “The Future of Aviation Group has recently had great success in garnering the Prime Minister’s attention when more than 80 MPs backed a call to urgently support the aviation, travel and tourism industries following the recent closure of all travel corridors. This is the kind of cut through we need to help push our agenda’s forward through to the key decision makers who determine our futures.”
Participating associations in the Travel Industry Alliance (TIA) include:
- AITO (The Specialist Travel Association)
- ATTA® (African Travel and Tourism Association)
- BAR UK (Board of Airline Representatives)
- BTA (The Business Travel Association)
- CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association)
- CTO (Caribbean Tourism Organisation – UK & Europe Chapter)
- LATA (Latin American Travel Association)
- PATA UK & Ireland Chapter (Pacific Asia Travel Association)
- UKinbound
Participating associations in The Future of Aviation Group include:
- Airport Operators Association
- Association of UK Airlines (Airlines UK)
- British Aviation Group
- International Air Transport Association (IATA)
- London Heathrow Airport
- London Gatwick Airport
- The Travel Association (ABTA)
- Travelport
