UK Approach to APD Attacked Again
According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), the British government “has turned a deaf ear” to the global desire to reform the Air Passenger Duty (APD).
The tax has long been criticised for its impact upon long-haul destinations. The APD was revised last year and caused bitter controversy. It is set to be increased even more by the end of this year. The hardest hit are developing countries.
As reported on the TravelMole website, UNWTO secretary general Taleb Rifai accused the government of knowingly doing wrong with the proposed tax increase which is due in November. The government was accused of being greedy given the £3 billion of revenue the tax could bring in for the Treasury.
UNWTO is planning to push harder with appeals to amend the tax by the end of the year, either changing it or removing it completely.
The secretary general was supported in his remarks by South African tourism minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk. The South African tourism minister also voiced his concerns at the ITB in Berlin.
“The people who will suffer from this British tax will be developing countries like ourselves,” he said. “But its not just our tourism which is suffering. We South Africans now have to obtain visas and even transit visas to visit the United Kingdom and that application process is not easy.”
He warned that the tide could turn and he would be telling the South African people not to travel to the UK, which would mean that “developing and developed countries alike” would suffer.
Travel Industry news posted by Marilyn on 12 March 2010
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