Travel industry urged to mobilise against air tax
Air Passenger Duty is the equivalent of licensed robbery, said ABTA convention speaker Iain Dale.
He urged agents to “mobilise your army of supporters” against it or the unpopular air tax will continue to increase.
Speaking at ABTA’s Travel Convention in Dubrovnik, the political commentator said: “APD will continue to go up unless a lot more noise is made about it.”
Dale compared APD to stamp duty as a tax “the equivalent of licensed robbery”, adding that increased taxation, increased costs through ‘green’ levies and regulation from Brussels were the big issues facing the travel industry.
He also predicted an increase in terrorism and economic instability, either through a Eurozone collapse or further recession.
by Diane Evans
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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