Nawaz: Terrorism will be with us for a generation
Peter Foster, The Telegraph
EU expert warns Brexit will ‘hit confidence to travel’
Brexit talks are “at an impasse” and the industry should be prepared for the EU to “drive a very hard bargain”.
That was the view of Peter
Foster, Europe editor of The Telegraph. He told Abta’s Travel
Convention: “Things are at an impasse. They are stuck. There is politics on both sides, and getting over the hump is going to require some political courage.” Foster said: “The Europeans are
playing hard ball. Theresa May said this week ‘The ball is in your court’ and [EU chief negotiator] Michel Barnier said ‘No, it is in yours’. “May played hardball in July,
but then made a whole bunch of concessions [in her speech in Florence in September]. “The Europeans don’t believe
the threats. They believe May will fold. They feel they can sit on their hands and watch us sweat.” He warned: “Things are going
to get tougher. We have to be open-eyed about how the EU will defend its interests.” However, Foster said: “There will be a deal. Politicians don’t like to
create chaos. But the deal will be pretty minimal in the first instance.” He warned: “When we get into the second phase we’ll think this was the easy part. The Europeans will drive a very hard bargain.” Foster argued Brexit should
be viewed in the context of “what some people are calling a geopolitical recession”. He said: “Europe is crying out
for strong and stable governments and can’t deliver it. That is overlaid on two other issues – wage stagnation and technological
disruption – with terrorism and migration layered on top. That is the context.” Abta director of public affairs
Alan Wardle said: “The challenge at the moment is the sense of uncertainty.” He added: “The travel industry is very resilient and has had to deal with and adapt to the problems of the day for years. “The biggest risk to customers
around Brexit is that people won’t feel confident to travel. We want to keep confidence up, and we want a sensible, pragmatic deal.”
Donald urged to play ‘racy’ Carnival ad
An advert with the theme ‘lose your cruise virginity’ by Carnival Corporation that was deemed “too racy” to be aired during the US Super Bowl was shown at Abta’s Travel Convention. Chief executive Arnold Donald asked delegates whether he should
show the ad on the big screen on stage, explaining that it contained double entendres over different aspects of losing your cruise virginity. The audience overwhelmingly called for the ad to be screened. Donald introduced it as part of Carnival Corporation’s efforts to debunk myths that cruising is only for the older generation or young people who want to get drunk. The advert is available on YouTube. It features guests at different locations on a cruise ship talking about what they thought of their first time while the viewer is unaware of what experience they are referring to.
19 October 2017
travelweekly.co.uk 19
The travel sector faces a generation of terror threats, according to activist and radio host Maajid Nawaz. The LBC radio broadcaster also runs counter-extremist organisation Quilliam after being radicalised as a teenager while growing up in Essex. He rejected Islamist
extremism after a liaison with Amnesty International while imprisoned in Cairo. Nawaz highlighted how
recent terrorist attacks in Paris, Brussels and London showed that Western capitals were just as likely targets as tourist destinations following atrocities in holiday hotspots such as Tunisia and Egypt. Nawaz said attacks in cities
were “inevitable”. “There is absolutely nothing
you can do about it,” he added. “I can’t wave a magic wand and make terrorism disappear. “It’s inevitable and we
have to face it. We have to understand this is going to be with us for a generation and we have to deal with that.” Nawaz called for a “measured and positive” response to destabilising forces. “The best way to respond is
to take a measured view with candid conversations – that’s how we get through this,” he said.
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