Henry Smith MP has led a call made by 86 parliamentarians urging for greater support for the aviation, travel and tourism industries following the recent closure of all travel corridors.
The Crawley MP, who is the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Future of Aviation, organised a letter to the Prime Minister which has acknowledged that the latest restrictions were a necessary measure to protect the UK public from the spread of new variants of COVID-19, but highlights that these industries need urgent support to recover from the devastating impacts of the pandemic.
The letter calls for a comprehensive ‘Aviation, Travel and Tourism Recovery Package’ to provide immediate financial and additional support alongside a pathway to allow aviation to come out of these restrictions when safe to do so.
Henry said;
“The closure of all travel corridors is a necessary measure to protect the public from new variants of COVID-19 but will be another significant blow to industries which have faced the pandemic without the same levels of support afforded to other sectors.
“Our aviation, travel and tourism industries have been amongst the hardest hit by the pandemic, sadly leading to job losses and leaving our world-class aviation industry a shadow of its former self.
“These businesses are important not only to our local economy, but to our ability to bounce back from the devastating impacts of the pandemic and it’s vital that the Government listen to our call to support and protect the businesses, their supply chains, employees and communities who have borne the brunt of the near total collapse of UK passenger numbers.
“Our aviation, travel and tourism sectors are running on empty and I urge the Prime Minster to back these vital industries and deliver the support they so desperately need and deliver it now.”
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