The Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association (SPAA) has urged the governments in Edinburgh and London to stop the “fear factor” around international travel.
SPAA president Joanne Dooey said the “people in power” needed to stop driving a message of fear to help Scotland get “back to business”.
The message came in front of 200 travel professionals as Ms Dooey spoke at the association’s centenary dinner in Glasgow.
We need to get back to business.”
Joanne Dooey, president, Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association
She said: “We need to see a return to international flying. The fear factor driven by people in power now needs to stop.
“We need to get Scotland back to business with safety protocols in place which are simple, and more importantly do not cost a fortune, to allow our industry to get back to some normality.
“We need to remove complexity and bring in simplicity with clear consistent communication and processes to support travel and not to hinder it or prevent it.”
The SPAA said a survey it conducted found most firms still operating at 10% or less of their pre-pandemic revenue, despite a recent easing of restrictions on international travel.
Travellers ‘demonised’ for going on holiday
Ms Dooey said Scots should not be “demonised” for going on holiday, and she urged the two governments to get behind an industry that supports 26,000 jobs in Scotland and brings nearly £1.b billion into the economy annually.
She added: “We need to trust in the vaccine and allow freedom of movement.”
Other findings from the survey revealed one-third of members have taken a second job since March 2020 to help their businesses survive. Some 7% of these now have more than two jobs.
No income
Almost 70% of travel agency owners surveyed have had virtually no income since the pandemic started.
Ms Dooey said: “We at the SPAA have lived up to our mission to be the voice of travel in Scotland in our centenary year – and we will continue to do so, loudly.
“We will keep up the fight for sector-specific support for the travel sector.”
Linda Boyd, head of retail for Stewart Travel, which has a branch in Inverurie said: “It’s been a difficult 18 months for everyone, and nowhere more so than in the travel industry.
“But there is light at the end of the tunnel. At home and overseas vaccination rates are rising, restrictions are being relaxed and the world is slowly returning to normality.
“The exception is in travel, where the UK’s traffic light system requirements make taking a holiday more complicated and expensive.”
Ms Boyd added: “We understand the need for caution but would urge the government to review the requirements for fully vaccinated travellers at the earliest possible time, to bring us into line with our European neighbours, and let our customers enjoy the holiday they so richly deserve.”
