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Holiday prices ‘will rise 31% post-Brexit’


The Seasonal Businesses in Travel (SBIT) lobby group has produced a report estimating the impact of a no-deal Brexit. The report, entitled ‘A Crisis


Looming’, found there has already been a 7% reduction in the number of UK workers posted overseas, and estimated a 31% rise in holiday prices post-Brexit. Zenith Holidays director


Katie Waddington, an SBIT founder, told an Elman Wall Directors’ Summit on Tuesday that some types of holiday, such as chalet skiing, will become something only the wealthy can afford. The report estimates there


Brexit ‘is incredibly fragile and dangerous’ for travel


Ian Taylor ian.taylor@travelweekly.co.uk


Lengthy queues for Britons at EU airports, restrictions on staff movement and the impact on sterling’s exchange rate were concerns raised by the industry as Brexit talks stalled this week.


As the prime minister prepared


for critical talks with EU leaders this week, Tom Jenkins, chief executive of the European Tour Operators’ Association, warned: “The situation is incredibly fragile and dangerous.” A survey by the Association of Bonded Travel Organisers’ Trust (Abtot) found high levels of concern among members. Abtot asked its 170-plus


operators to rate their concerns on


a scale of one to 10. The impact on exchange rates, rated at 7.7, was the greatest worry. Falling out of the EU open-skies agreement and restrictions on free movement of staff rated 5.9 each, while fear of restrictions on the free movement of travellers was rated as 5.5. Jenkins said: “I can’t believe


flights will be grounded [and] I assume we won’t face delays for people going to and from Europe, but that is an assumption.” He had three concerns: borders, staff deployment, and the Tour Operator’s Margin Scheme. Jenkins said: “The expectation is


we’ll move to non-EU immigration lines from the end of March, meaning questions about the purpose of a visit, which takes longer than current passport checks. The queues at Heathrow


4 travelweekly.co.uk 18 October 2018


“It’s unclear what the government’s intentions are in respect of travel”


for non-EU nationals are already unacceptable. What will happen what that is multiplied 10-fold? We have no answer. “There is a huge question as


to what happens with posted workers. We assume there will be a transition period, but we’ve received no clarification. “And outside the customs’ union,


[tour operators] will be obliged to register for VAT in every county they do business in.” Abtot members also warned of higher prices for consumers.


are 25,000 jobs in the EU under the Posted Seasonal Workers Scheme and holiday operating costs could go up by 158% in a hard Brexit scenario. SBIT was established


in August 2017 with nine members and now has 200.


Nick Parkinson, a solicitor with


Travlaw, which helped carry out the Abtot survey, said: “It’s unclear what the government’s intentions and expectations are in respect of travel services [and] it’s unclear what the full implications will be on the industry in the event of no deal.” Abta hosted Brexit minister


Robin Walker at a members’ meeting on Monday. Chief executive Mark Tanzer welcomed the “regular, constructive dialogue with officials”, but said: “There are issues which need to be addressed. We need an outcome that ensures continuity and stability.” Walker said: “Tourism is of huge importance to the UK economy. I was pleased to update attendees on the work we’re doing to


support the industry.” › Talk Back, page 25


PICTURE: GEORGIE GILLARD/ANL/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK


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