Travel: Coronavirus

(asked on 28th January 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of restrictions to address the COVID-19 pandemic on travel companies' ability to raise revenue as a result of staff being (1) engaged in processing refunds to customers unable to fulfil booked travel arrangements, and (2) ineligible for the furlough scheme; and what alternative financial support they plan to provide to such companies and the staff of such companies.


Answered by
Lord Callanan Portrait
Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
This question was answered on 11th February 2021

The Government recognises the travel sector has been particularly hard hit by covid-19, and we regularly assess impacts on such tourism businesses and are continuing to engage across Government and with relevant stakeholders.

Travel companies continue to be able to access the Coronavirus Jobs Retention Scheme which has been extended until the end of April. On top of this and our wider economic support package, the Government has provided business rates relief and one-off grants for eligible hospitality and leisure businesses – and we have cut VAT for tourism and hospitality activities from 20% to 5% until the end of March.

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