The association has created a new template letter to support agents’ applications, setting out the scope of the new rules and the likely impact on their businesses and consumer confidence.
"The imposition of further restrictions is a clear reminder of the unique constraints facing travel businesses and should be used to encourage councils to think again where they have funding available but have been reluctant to direct it at travel businesses," said Abta.
It comes after Abta last month encouraged agents to seek a slice of an estimated £300 million it believes should be outstanding in ARG funding, based on council allocations to the end of August.
Citing government guidance to local authorities in England, Abta said both agents and operators should be considered eligible for ARGs.
However, it stressed agents needed to emphasise this in their letters with the updated advice only having been issued in June. "As a result, many councils have not yet considered the sector in their own support schemes," said Abta.
The template letter adds that the new restrictions will "undoubtedly impact consumer demand and hold back the travel industry’s recovery", while also outlining the challenges faced by the industry throughout the pandemic.
While ARGs are only available in England, Abta said it was continuing to make the case for greater support to the UK’s devolved administrations.
Chief executive Mark Tanzer has also written to chancellor Rishi Sunak to reiterate Abta’s calls for fresh financial support for travel, with the association continuing to lobby MPs to discuss the case for greater funding agents, homeworkers and operators.
‘Further storms’
Luke Petherbridge, Abta director of public affairs, said: "The industry’s recovery was always going to be bumpy. The temporary measures introduced by the government this week and the increasing number of countries bringing in additional restrictions are cases in point, which is why we have consistently argued the sector needs to be offered support to get through the pandemic.
“Over recent months we have been supporting members to access the grant schemes available, including providing support for individual applications, as well as maintaining our lobbying for additional support. The Additional Restrictions Grant funding is available to all travel companies, and a lot of it remains unspent, so I’d really encourage Abta members to get in touch with their local authority.
“The industry did not experience the summer recovery we had hoped for, which means we’re less able to weather these further storms. We know that small to medium-sized companies, in particular, will struggle without additional help as they don’t have the same financing options as larger companies, and that is the case we have put to the chancellor and the ministers responsible for our sector.”
The template letter is available from abta.com/savefuturetravel.
