Aviation Minister and Shadow Transport Secretary to speak at ABTA’s ‘Travel Matters’ conference in June

The Aviation Minister, Baroness Vere of Norbiton, and Labour’s Shadow Minister for Transport, Mike Kane MP, will address senior industry figures at ABTA’s Travel Matters conference next month. ABTA’s annual policy event will take place on Wednesday 14 June at One Great George Street in Westminster and will explore the theme of ‘Travel 2030.’

The Minister and Shadow Minister will share their vision for the travel industry and its future relationship with Westminster. Also confirmed to speak is Izabella Kaminska, Senior Finance Editor in Europe, POLITICO, who will give her take on global geopolitical issues, including how mobility is affected by the current state of world politics, and what sanctions and growing protectionism might mean for travel businesses seeking to navigate a path through the coming years.

LBC broadcaster Tom Swarbrick will return as moderator and ABTA’s Mark Tanzer will open the conference with a speech to delegates. ABTA’s Travel Matters is the organised travel sector’s leading policy conference, bringing together politicians, government officials and industry leaders to debate the political and policy issues facing the sector.

Topics up for discussion include what the travel industry needs from government to help it navigate regulatory changes, the industry’s journey towards net zero and the UK’s ever-evolving relationship with the EU. Luke Petherbridge, Director of Public Affairs at ABTA, who will also speak at the event, said: “This year’s Travel Matters is set to be one of the best events yet. With an election potentially only a year away, and with the industry facing a very busy year ahead for regulatory changes, as well as economic and political uncertainty, it’s the perfect time to get together to hear from our political leaders and to discuss what we need to be successful over the longer-term.

“As the leading voice of the travel industry, Travel Matters is recognised by senior political figures as an important event in the calendar to address travel industry leaders. I’m delighted we are due to be joined this year by both the Government’s Aviation and Maritime Minister, Baroness Vere, and the Shadow Minister for Transport, Mike Kane. ABTA works closely with politicians across the political spectrum, and with the next election on the horizon it’s fantastic that both main parties will use this opportunity to address the industry on their visions for the future of our sector.

“We’ll also be releasing new findings from a joint project between ABTA and SBiT, which looks at employee mobility in a post-Brexit world and what businesses in travel need from the UK Government and EU nations to deliver the travel products our customers want.” The conference will be delivered to an audience of CEOs, senior directors, political figures, government stakeholders and media representatives.