Comment: Travel can give government positive news

Let’s hope the new transport secretary recognises the worth of the sector, says Lucy Huxley

Last week I had the privilege of hosting 30 female industry leaders in Greece for the inaugural Travel Weekly Inspiring Women Retreat.

The event showcased some incredible product in a key destination for the UK market and also offered a fantastic opportunity for bosses of travel agencies and suppliers alike to strengthen existing relationships and, in some cases, form new ones.

While in Greece we heard the news that transport secretary Louise Haigh had stepped down after just four months in the role, and the nature and speed of her departure raised a few eyebrows.

The news was also met with some disappointment by many in positions of influence in the industry who had been trying to build relationships of their own and felt her initial dealings with the industry had been largely positive.

One of the few champions of the sector during the dark days of the pandemic was former transport minister Huw Merriman, and at the recent Aito Conference he stressed the importance of fostering positive relations now with those in Whitehall and Westminster. To have a shake-up in one of the key positions so soon isn’t ideal, but those leading government engagement feel the positive messaging of recent weeks is unlikely to alter significantly with the change in personnel.

As I have said in this column before, the government needs positive news from business to offset some of the negativity surrounding the start of its term. Let’s hope new transport secretary Heidi Alexander recognises our sector is well-placed to deliver it.

Comment originally from Travel Weekly, December 5 edition