SCOTLAND’S Travel sector has defended itself as a “viable industry” as it fights for its future in wake of further countries being removed from the exempt list and Rishi Sunak’s winter economy plan.
Reacting to the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer’s pronouncements, the president of the Scottish Passenger Agents Association (SPAA) Joanne Dooey welcomed cautiously the newly announced Jobs Support Scheme. She believes it provides a better short-term solution for employees than an extension of the furlough scheme.
“It remains to be seen if this newly announced scheme will benefit business owners or merely to sustain the status quo,” she said.
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“We are calling on the Scottish Government to publicly commit that all of the funds will be delivered to the businesses in Scotland.
“The Chancellor correctly uses the term ‘depressed demand’ for sectors of business. But, the travel sector is experiencing not just depressed demand, but no demand at all.
Dooey said the majority of travel agents have had zero income in 2020 and because of the particular financial model of the travel industry, some have had no income for longer than that.
She added: “However, the sector remains eminently viable, with many viable jobs when we see a return to travel.”
Though Dooey reiterated her concern over the growing list of countries being removed from the exempt list and the confusion it causes.
She added: “The recovery of the sector is not being helped by the continued removal or addition to the ‘safe list’ of countries which Scots can visit without having to quarantine on their return – such as today’s removal of Denmark, Iceland, Curacao and Slovakia.”
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The SPAA is also concerned about the messages on all foreign travel and the encouragement not to go to foreign shores.
Mike Tibbert, vice-president of the SPAA said: “The First Minister’s comments in the Scottish Parliament telling Scots not to book travel overseas for the October break if it is not essential were unnecessary, wholly gratuitous and extremely damaging for the Scottish travel industry.
“It’s becoming ever clearer that our entire travel sector – and consequently our economy – is in real and immediate jeopardy.
“This is absolutely no exaggeration, yet there appears to be no support either at the ground or strategic level to prevent this.”
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