SPAA vows to fight on for homeworking agents
The Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association has vowed to fight for homeworkers who are set to miss out on the government’s £5 million rescue package for travel agents.
Agents with physical locations will share in the windfall, with one-off grants of £25,000 for retailers whose premises have a rateable value of $18,001.
Those under that will receive $15,000.
SPAA President Joanne Dooey described the cash support – triggered following agent protests outside Holyrood in November – as the ‘first step’.
She said agents working from home, who do not qualify for the grants, will not be forgotten.
"The travel sector has a unique structure which includes an army of homeworkers. Not all of these home workers have been able to access self-employment grants and some remain in serious financial difficultly," Dooey said.
"We are continuing to engage with both governments for homeworkers and travel agency directors who have maybe ‘fallen through the cracks’ to help them to gain some financial support.
"The support recognises the specific challenges which the travel sector has faced since March last year.
"We will continue to take an active role in securing further funding for the travel sector, especially following the announcement yesterday that hotel quarantine is to be introduced."
With the industry facing another year of limited – and perhaps zero – income, the timing of the grants will boost morale north of the border.
Along with the loss of income during 2020, Dooey said much of agents’ 2019 earnings had been wiped out by refunds over the past 10 months.
"Now they face a further year when Scots are actively being told, if not instructed, by their government, not to travel abroad," she said.
"We remain committed to public health as a priority, and continue to repeat our message that the whole of the travel sector needs a roadmap out of this devastating position for our industry."
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