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Travelport Supports ABTA in its Efforts to Alleviate Financial Burdens on the Travel Industry
New York, NY,
21.04.2009
Travelport Limited, the parent company of the Travelport group of companies, today commended the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) on its recent letter to the UK Government, asking the Exchequer to refrain from taking actions that would further harm the faltering UK travel industry.
Jeff Clarke, President and CEO of Travelport commented, “With an already challenging economic environment and the impact it has had on the travel industry, adding further burdens such as tax hikes and increased passenger duties can certainly discourage travel. This would be detrimental to the global travel and tourism industry, employment within this sector and the significant part it plays in the worldwide economy.”
In the letter to Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling, ABTA’s Chief Executive Mark Tanzer highlighted several key issues, including:
• Tourism Taxation – Cutting the taxation burden on both outbound and inbound tourism to help stimulate demand.
• Air Passenger Duty – Consider withdrawing APD or at the very least cancelling the second phase increase planned for 1 November 2010, as well as rectifying the illogical anomalies in the proposed banding structure.
• VISA Costs – Reduce the relatively high visa costs for entry to the UK.
Notes to editors
About Travelport
Travelport is one of the world's largest travel conglomerates offering broad based business services to companies operating in the global travel industry. The company is comprised of the global distribution system (GDS) business, based out of Langley, UK, that includes the Worldspan and Galileo brands; GTA, headquartered in London, a leading global, multi-channel provider of hotel and ground services; IT Services and Software, which hosts mission critical applications and provides business and data analysis solutions for major airlines. With 2008 revenues of $2.5 billion, Travelport operates in approximately 160 countries and has over 5,500 employees.
Travelport also owns approximately 48% of Orbitz Worldwide (NYSE: OWW), a leading global online travel company.
Travelport is a private company owned by The Blackstone Group, One Equity Partners, Technology Crossover Ventures and Travelport management.
About ABTA
ABTA – The Travel Association was founded in 1950 and currently has 1,415 members with 5,900 outlets. Members include travel agents, tour operators and support services right across the spectrum from small family-owned businesses to the largest tour operators.
ABTA is the largest travel association in the UK and its members provide 90% of the foreign package holidays in the UK as well as selling millions of independent travel arrangements.
As part of its comprehensive package of services to members, ABTA, as a non-party political organisation, also provides an effective voice to represent the interests of its Members to government and key opinion formers at the highest levels. In the UK, these include, government ministers, constituency MPs, Select Committee members, senior civil servants and members of the political opposition parties in both Westminster and the devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
In Europe, ABTA is forming close ties with members of the European Parliament, the European Commission and staff within the Director Generals’ Secretariats. ABTA works in partnership with ECTAA (the European grouping of travel agents and tour operators’ associations) to lobby on interests relevant to its Members.
Media Contact:
US Media Contact
Athanasia Sfikas
(212) 885-0415
athanasia.sfikas@hillandknowlton.com
EU Media Contacts
Kate Aldridge
+44 (0) 1753 288 720
kate.aldridge@travelport.com
Rachel Griffiths
+44 (0) 207 973 4456
rachel.griffiths@hillandknowlton.com