Bin air tax

I read yesterday’s front page article by Paris Gourtsoyannis with great sadness. Having spent my working life teaching languages, my aim was also to teach young people how to move away from the Inselmentalität, or island mentality, for which we have sometimes been known – to become proudly European and to experience richly textured cultures beyond our shores.

My own heritage lies in rural Banffshire with itinerant farm servants who never strayed beyond the county boundary yet used language from a past linked to our European neighbours. In winter we The Scottish Government has been celebrating Tourism Month throughout March. Tourism contributes significantly to Scotland’s economy, hospitality and travel sectors and showcases the country to the wider world. As representatives of airlines, airports and business organisations we are proud to play our part in promoting this crucial industry.

We want the Scottish Government to honour its manifesto commitment to implement, reduce and abolish the Air Departure Tax paid by airline customers on every departing flight. We share the Scottish Government’s ambitions for the country’s tourist industry, however, Air Passenger Duty, as it currently is, holds it back from reaching its full potential by rendering air routes uncompetitive and driving tourists to other destinations. Should ministers deliver on their commitment to reduce this burdensome tax, there is strong evidence that it would drive up visitor numbers, further contributing to the growth of Scottish tourism. As the independently verified 2016 Biggar Economics study for Edinburgh Airport found, a 50 per cent tax reduction would bring an extra 18 million passengers

Friarsfield Road, Cults, Aberdeen

Dr Charles Wardrop has suggested in two letters that democracy had been violated

by 2021 and create 10,000 new jobs. It states also that halving the levy would boost the Scottish economy by more than £300 million, generating increased tax revenues.

Our organisations publicly back the Scottish Government’s ambitions on Air Departure Tax and we strongly urge all parties to use Tourism Month as a catalyst to renew efforts to introduce a competitive tax regime. It would benefit both Scottish consumers and visitors and give a huge boost to the Scottish tourist industry.

This Tourism Month, let’s have real action to boost this vital sector rather than warm words.

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CEO Thomas Cook Airlines

CEO, IAG

CEO Virgin Atlantic Airways

CEO Norwegian

steps? The infrastructure coststoinstallrenewableplant to provide the energy needed to replace gas and charge millions of electric vehicles will be around half a trillion pounds.

Independence means English consumers no longer cover 92 per cent of such costs, hence there needs to be a choice between Indyref2 and climate change emissions. Which

policy does he prefer to have priority?