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04 Sep 2012

Tourism Alliance welcomes parliamentary group's aviation report

Image: The report calls for enhanced UK hub capacity

Tourism Alliance has welcomed a report from the Aviation All Party Parliamentary Group, which has concluded that current policy creates "significant barriers" to inbound tourism.

The report has examined existing UK capacity and the Air Passenger Duty (APD) and has said that the country is at a "competitive disadvantage" to other European destinations.

Among the recommendations in the report is the call for a moratorium on further increases in APD until a review of its impact on the economy and employment is completed.

The group has also urged government to focus on ensuring the UK retains and grows hub capacity - either by expanding Heathrow Airport or by building a new facility.

Tourism Alliance chair Michael Hirst said: "The group has demonstrated a clarity of thought and purpose that has been conspicuous in its absence from government aviation policy.

"Tourism has the potential to generate the revenue and employment needed to pull the UK out of recession but, as the group points out, in order to deliver this, the government has to demonstrate a clear, logical approach towards aviation."

Click here for more information about the Aviation All Party Parliamentary Group.

Image: Adrian Reynolds/shutterstock.com