Cheap flights bad...

[Nemesis]

Well, this should keep several posters I can think of foaming at the mouth:

PRESS RELEASE
ISSUED BY STOP STANSTED EXPANSION 30 January 2008



CHEAP FLIGHTS "SQUEEZING LIFE OUT OF BRITISH TOURISM" SAYS MAJOR UK HOTEL COMPANY



One of the UK's major hotel companies has told MPs that short haul airlines are "the single biggest cause of decline in traditional tourism resorts" and has urged the Government to end the tax breaks which provide budget airlines with an "unfair grip on holidaymakers that is squeezing the life out of British tourism."



Giving evidence to a House of Commons Select Committee Inquiry yesterday (29 January) Travelodge told MPs that unfair tax breaks to short haul airlines "are slowly bringing the curtain down on regional tourism."



Travelodge submitted research evidence to the Inquiry showing that inward tourism spend was declining whilst outward spend was rapidly increasing, creating a balance of trade deficit of £18bn.



Calling for a level playing field and for VAT to be applied to air travel, Travelodge Director of Communications Greg Dawson stated that "VAT exemption on flights immediately puts domestic tourism on the back foot. It is an inbuilt cost incentive to holiday abroad rather than stay at British resorts and attractions." He claimed that a 10 percent reduction in overseas flights by British tourists would create 31,250 jobs.



The evidence put forward by Travelodge provides strong endorsement of the economic analysis which Stop Stansted Expansion (SSE) has carried out since 2003 showing a direct link between the growth in cheap air travel and the deterioration in the UK trade deficit on travel and tourism. However, it is the first time that a major UK hotel company has pointed out that cheap flights are having a direct impact on the UK tourism industry, costing thousands of jobs.



Last summer, SSE submitted extensive evidence to the Stansted Public Inquiry on the adverse UK consequences for the UK economy if BAA's request for unlimited passenger throughput on the existing runway were to be approved. This showed that the new jobs that would be created at the airport would be greatly outweighed by job losses in the UK tourism industry. Outbound tourism from the East of England region outweighs the number of incoming foreign visitors by a factor of almost 5 to 1 and results in a £2bn spending deficit for the region.



Welcoming the new evidence from Travelodge, SSE Economics Adviser, Brian Ross, commented: "Hopefully this will help people understand what we mean by our current poster campaign: "Support the British Economy - Stop Stansted Expansion".



ENDS



NOTES FOR EDITORS



1. The evidence presented by Travelodge on 29 January 2008 was to the House of Commons Culture Media and Sport Select Committee, chaired by John Whittingdale, Member of Parliament for Maldon and Chelmsford East (Conservative) whose committee is conducting an Inquiry into the UK tourism industry.



2. A full transcript of Travelodge's evidence will be available on the CMS Select Committee website (http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmcumeds.htm#uncorr) within the next few days.



3. Travelodge has issued a press release summarising their evidence to the Select Committee (http://www.travelodge.co.uk/press/press_releases.php). This release can also be obtained direct from SSE upon request.



FURTHER INFORMATION



(Primary contact for this story) Brian Ross, Economics Adviser, Stop Stansted Expansion, 01279 814961, M 07850 937143, brian.ross@lineone.net
Carol Barbone, Campaign Director, Stop Stansted Expansion M 0777 552 3091, cbarbone@mxc.co.uk
http://www.stopstanstedexpansion.com

 

[chuckey]

Is this is because that foreigners have heard about our cheapo airlines and hotels and don't want to come here? Its all to do with the strength of the sterling currency as other currencies get stronger, the annual outflux of tourists will be halted. Stanstead will allows our tourists to spend sterling so enriching other nations who will then come flocking to our shores.
Frank

 

[skier-hughes]

I only go to Scotland because I can get cheap flights, very bad for British Tourism.
I'm off to Northern Ireland for a wedding and will spend a week there on holiday, I am going by cheap flights, that's looking really bad for British tourism now isn't it!!

I can't see that adding vat to a flight costing 4p, or 0p is going to make a vast difference to whether people fly or not, let's see, oh yes, after adding vat to 0p the price has risen to 0p... superb arguement that one.

Travelodge......... oh my goodness...... if they stopped their over booking policy so they didn't kick my wife out at 10.30pm when she arrives in London to work then we might actually book a rooom with them. But as they have done this twice in London and once in Bristol, then absolutely no more. I suggest their drop in numbers may be more to do with their customer service than cheap flights.

and, ah yes I see Stop Stanstead Expansion are also involved, I could say more, but I won't.

Graham

 

[middi]

Travelodge?. At least cheap air flights offer some service , how does travelodge explain their DIY overprized cattle sheds?

There is a valid point to their argument, as far as I am concerned they want " MORE" by providing "LESS".

 

[Nemesis]

£19 a night? What more do you want for that?

They have stopped the overbooking policy apparently. I've never had it happen to me.

 

[Flyfisher]

One of the UK's major hotel companies has told MPs that short haul airlines are "the single biggest cause of decline in traditional tourism resorts" and has urged the Government to end the tax breaks which provide budget airlines with an "unfair grip on holidaymakers that is squeezing the life out of British tourism."

Complete nonsense of course.

Budget airlines can fly holidaymakers into the UK just as easily as fly them out. Chuckey is right, the cause for any decline in UK tourism is likely to be found elsewhere.

And what, exactly, are the tax breaks that favour budget airlines compared to 'regular' airlines? VAT exemption would seem to favour more expensive airlines for the reason Graham noted.

SSE might want to consider another 'economics advisor'.

 

[Nemesis]

Well I said this would have some foaming at the mouth. But this was Travelodge's evidence, not SSE. They just passed it on.

Do keep up dear.

 

[Flyfisher]

If you pass on rubbish you are tainted by it and your judgement is called into question.

Yawning at the mouth, more like.

 

[Nemesis]

Nah - I knew it would wind you up.

Gone very quiet in the Lewis thread - I'm sure piper would love to hear more of your wit and wisdom...

 

[Flyfisher]

Trolling again? :roll:

 

[Nemesis]

Nah - that's your forte. With an accent. See Lewis thread.

Just keeping all on their toes. Thought you may wish to know what all party Commons Select Committees are up to at the moment.

 

[Nemesis]

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmcumeds.htm

Uncorrected oral evidence so far - yesterday's should be there very soon.

 

[Nemesis]

Those appearing yesterday:

Culture, Media & Sport
(i) Tourism/ (ii) London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games
Oral evidence session:

Culture, Media and Sport Committee

(i) Tourism
(ii) London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games (at 11.30)

Witnesses:
(i) Grant Hearn, Chief Executive and Greg Dawson, Director of Communications, Travelodge; Professor Victor Middleton and Professor John Fletcher (at 11.00)
(ii) Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP, Minister for the Olympics and London, Cabinet Office

 

[Schoolmarm]

If you pass on rubbish you are tainted by it and your judgement is called into question.

Is there really any need for this?

For all you know she could be posting it BECAUSE she thought it was rubbish.

 

[Nemesis]

Well, here's the press release:

http://www.travelodge.co.uk/press/article.php?id=288

My interest is in the retention of the historic buildings which are being left to become at risk currently (owned by BAA) and those which will be demolished if the expansion goes ahead.


There are, of course, other issues involved but those are the concerns which are most relevant here.

http://www.stopstanstedexpansion.com


I'm also interested in British tourism, as it helps keep alive interest in historic buildings and areas, and in so doing the economics of tourism help conservation. I am a member of the Save Dreamland campaign.

http://www.stopstanstedexpansion.com/photos.html

 

[Moo]

I must say I too suspected that a firm like Travelodge could well have a vested interest in the topic. They're a business, and don't, as far as I know, go in for philanthropy in a big way.
I seem to remember that in another environmental thread the findings of certain eminent people/organisations were dismissed for exactly that reason.

quote Mandy Rice Davis - they would say that, wouldn't they?

 

[Nemesis]

I presume that they are not misleading parliament though.

And as a business which is supporting the regeneration of seaside towns, so far they haven't proved to be the bad guys.

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.12218

 

[skier-hughes]

I presume that they are not misleading parliament though.

Which is the direct opposite to what you said to me when I said I knew a government advisor :roll:

 

[Flyfisher]

If you pass on rubbish you are tainted by it and your judgement is called into question.

Is there really any need for this?

For all you know she could be posting it BECAUSE she thought it was rubbish.

No, no, no. My apologies. Not aimed at Nemesis at all.

I was aiming that comment at SSE because Nemesis defended them from my original 'rubbish' comment by saying that SSE were merely passing on the Travelodge comments.

It never occured to me that anyone might post something they thought was rubbish without expressly stating so. Too much risk of misinterpretation - as per my original comment.

 

[Nemesis]

Which is the direct opposite to what you said to me when I said I knew a government advisor

The oral evidence will be available on the website very soon. Open to scrutiny. You could have attended also. The CSC is cross-party, not a government committee.