The Business Travel Association is calling on the UK
government to support its five-step plan to allow businesses to begin
travelling again, asking for actions on areas such as the timeframe to travel,
international cooperation and clarity, protecting travellers, safe services and
competitive pricing.
In letters to transport secretary Grant Shapps and business
secretary Alok Sharma, BTA chief executive Clive Wratten said the government
needs to take action on crucial components in order for businesses to start
planning trips to kickstart the UK’s economy.
The BTA, which represents the UK’s TMCs, outlined five steps
to getting businesses back on the road, including:
- Putting a date on when travel can resume by
moving from a restriction of “all but essential” travel from global governments
to “essential business travel permitted”.
- A consistent international approach to what will
be expected for safe flying – social distancing, the use of masks and other hygiene
measures – to avoid contradictory advice. The BTA also does not support the use
of a mandatory 14-day quarantine for international travellers at either end of
a journey, as this “is a non-starter for global business executives”.
- Requiring insurance to cover employees when they
travel and, in the case of disruption or infection, that businesses’ actions
will not cause “employee concern or dissent”.
- Airlines, airports, train companies, car rental
firms, hotels and accommodation providers demonstrating the steps they are
taking to ensure cleanliness and social distancing. “This could be overseen by
travel associations such as the BTA across the globe with a recognisable marque
provided to those who meet the criteria.”
- Government intervention and financial support
for travel companies to help them ensure their pricing can remain competitive –
particularly as business travel budgets will likely be challenging for the rest
of 2020 and 2021.
“The business travel sector has a critical role to play in
our economic recovery, with the 6.5 million journeys it arranges in a typical
year contributing £220 billion to UK GDP,” Wratten said. “We have a duty to
enable British business to travel, trade and stimulate the UK economy, hence
why we have developed this plan, which we are calling upon the government to
support.
“The outcome of the government’s review of lockdown this
week may provide a glimpse of the steps necessary for economic recovery. Yet,
the business community is fully aware that recovery will be a gradual process,
and one which needs careful planning and for governments and industries to work
closely together.”
Wratten's comments come after representatives of leisure travel agencies, airports and airlines, including Airlines UK's Tim Alderslade, gave evidence to the Transport Select Committee on the government support needed to ensure travel can restart as quickly as possible once restrictions are lifted.