Aid plea as a third of jobs lost in travel sector

A THIRD of jobs have been lost in the Scottish travel sector and the government has been told to step in with support

New figures from ABTA, the travel agents association, reveal that 8,770 jobs have already been lost or placed at risk across the Scottish travel sector and its supply chain since the crisis started. This figure represents almost a third – 31per cent – of all jobs in the industry.

ABTA says the Scottish Government has exacerbated the impact on jobs and businesses by advising people not to travel but not providing any grant support for travel agents or tour operators.

The grant schemes currently in place to support businesses in Scotland, such as the ones set out by the Strategic Framework Business Fund, do not include travel businesses. This means many Scottish travel agents and tour operators are not getting the support they need despite facing severe financial distress.

More than 28,000 people across Scotland are either employed directly by travel businesses operating within, or have jobs reliant upon, the outbound travel sector, and in normal times, outbound travel is worth just over £1.87 billion to the Scottish economy every year.

To highlight the seriousness of the situation facing many travel businesses in Scotland, ABTA has written to Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Kate Forbes, reiterating the urgent need for a plan to save jobs in the industry and calling for grant funding.

It has also raised its concerns about the repeated statements made by the Scottish Government on social media and in briefings about not travelling overseas “unless it’s essential”