TSSA Calls For Dedicated Travel Trade Minister

TSSA General Secretary, Manuel Cortes, has called for the creation of a dedicated Minister for Travel to stand up for the travel trade during the pandemic and help the sector flourish once the crisis is over.

This comes on the day that the Government rejected the industry's call for the extension of furlough for travel. 

Cortes was speaking during a session ‘The Future of the Travel Trade’ during the ITT (Institute of Travel & Tourism) Virtual Conference. 

Cortes said: “We need someone to champion our industry. Everyone passes the buck. A dedicated Minister is something we would back. Because there is no dedicated Minister, this is one of the problems we have got. No-one is there to take responsibility. 

“We need someone in Government to champion our industry, a dedicated Minister. I have raised it with the Business Secretary. We need someone to be in control. What we need is the Government to step in and hold the industry’s hand so we can emerge stronger than before.” 

Cortes also said the travel trade had problems getting its voice heard in Government, as it “falls between” the Transport and Business departments. He added - “no stone must be left unturned to support our industry and get us out of this crisis.”