Battered UK travel industry calls for testing, more support

LONDON, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Britain's travel industry called
on the government for an airport testing regime and more
tailored support as it published figures showing how the
pandemic has sapped demand for the overseas trips that are its
lifeblood.

ABTA, the UK industry body representing 4,300 travel brands,
said that between February and July 2020, which included the
country's three-month lockdown period, only 15% of 2,000 Britons
surveyed took a foreign holiday compared to 64% the previous
year.

That has hit airlines and travel companies hard, with tens
of thousands of job losses already made in the sector, and more
expected when the government's furlough scheme comes to an end
later this month.

According to the data, 93% of consumers said they were
worried over last minute changes to Britain's quarantine rules,
with ABTA blaming the government's approach for exacerbating
people's reticence to travel.

"It is vital that the Global Travel Taskforce launched this
month to consider a testing regime, and other measures to
support recovery of the travel industry, acts decisively and
urgently to help increase consumer confidence and get the
industry moving again," ABTA said in a statement on Wednesday.

Britain set up the taskforce earlier in October to look at
ways of reducing the 14-day quarantine period, which has killed
demand and left travel firms, airlines and airports struggling
financially.

(Reporting by Sarah Young; editing by Kate Holton)