Joss Croft, CEO of UKinbound, has responded to the new Job Support Scheme and other support measures announced by the Chancellor today.
“Undoubtedly, today’s announcement will help many tourism businesses and safeguard jobs, which of course is incredibly welcome, however the desperate needs of British inbound tourism businesses, who bring international visitors to the UK and support tens of thousands of viable jobs, have once again been overlooked.
“These businesses have received no visitors since March, can’t pivot to capture domestic business, continue to be excluded from rate relief and grants and, with so few international visitors, won’t benefit from the extension of the VAT reduction. These businesses are sustainable and will be profitable again, once international tourists can return and are no longer impeded by measures such as quarantine. Whilst we welcome these measures, especially the Jobs Support Scheme, the Government’s one size fits all approach doesn’t work and is having a detrimental effect on these previously profitable companies, which generated £28 billion to the UK economy in 2019.”
