GB Snowsport Industry Criticises Lack of Government Help
31st December 2021
Last modified on January 3rd, 2022
The trade body, Snowsport Industries Great Britain, says a plea for additional financial support has been rejected.
SIGB has been lobbying hard for specific Government aid for the snowsport trade which has been battered by the impact of Covid-19.
“We’ve finally had a response – and it offers no help, despite over 23 months of real damage to retailers and suppliers,” SIGB says.
“What other business sector has endured such a long and difficult path wrought by Covid?”
The organisation’s Joint President David Sawyer-Parker, wrote to the government on 16th September.
He’s just received a response from Paul Scully MP, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
You can read the reply in full here.
A wider lobbying campaign initiated by SIGB is now expected in the next few weeks.
Snowsport Industries Great Britain – © SIGB
SIGB is made up of UK snowsports distributors, suppliers, agents, retailers, media and travel organisations.
The travel association, ABTA, has also been repeatedly lobbying the government on behalf of the travel industry.
Its most recent intervention came after the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s funding announcement on 21st December.
“The Chancellor’s statement today once again ignores the direct impact of Government policy decisions on businesses reliant on international travel,” said Luke Petherbridge, Director of Public Affairs.
Luke Petherbridge – photo © ABTA
“Travel agents, tour operators and travel management companies will rightly be asking why they haven’t been given the same treatment as other businesses that are suffering at this time.
“Average annual revenue across the travel industry is down by nearly 80% on pre-crisis levels even before Omicron emerged, and the re-introduction of enhanced testing – both pre and post arrival – have added significant costs and notably dampened consumer demand.”
ABTA is calling for:
- The immediate lifting of unnecessary travel restrictions
- Tailored winter resilience grants for the travel sector, similar to those announced on 21st December for hospitality
- Help for businesses facing loan repayments at a time when they have no income
- The extension of rates relief for all travel businesses in financial year 2022-23
The Covid pandemic triggered a 71% drop in international flights in and out of the UK in 2021, according a new report.
About 406,060 international flights operated from the UK this year, compared with 1,399,170 in 2019 before travel was restricted.
The figures comes from the aviation analytics firm Cirium.
Image © PlanetSKI
