THE LOTUS WEEKLY BREXIT ROUND-UP

TRAVEL

‘Travel with confidence’ peaks campaign supports industry through Brexit

ABTA is preparing its annual ‘travel with confidence’ campaign to support members through the peak booking period against a backdrop of a possible Brexit in January.

Adverts on national radio will feature alongside animations and videos on social media and online sites.

The activity kicks off on December 16 – the Monday after the general election and runs until the end of January.

Veteran industry analysts predict strong peaks season

Veteran industry analyst Steve Endacott, CEO of OHG Accommodation and former CEO of Airtours, has tipped the industry for a strong turn-of-year peaks period as he believes clarity over Brexit, thanks to the election will help strengthen the pound, while he believes Thomas Cook customers will return to the market.

Tories will introduce ETA - US-style electronic visa to control borders

Last week, Home Secretary Priti Patel revealed that under Conservative plans a US-style electronic visa system will be introduced post Brexit for visitors to the UK from the European Union and the Commonwealth.

The Electronic Travel Authorisation visa-waiver system will make it easier for border guards to screen arrivals and block threats from entering the UK, the party claimed.

It would provide an enhanced ability to screen arrivals against watchlists and block those deemed to be a threat from entering the UK.

Industry analyst: 31 January 2020 will just be the beginning of Brexit uncertainty

An anonymous industry analyst commenting to Ian Taylor of Travel Weekly last week outlined that the election will be critical to the Brexit outcome, but that there were still fears that a Conservative government could still run out of time to negotiate a final trade agreement and that Britain could still leave the EU without a deal at the end of 2020.

The analyst who advises investors on travel said: “Businesses thought the Brexit date was the critical event. [But] it’s just the beginning. The UK will be treated as if still a member state for the transition period to December 2020 unless by mutual agreement the period is extended for one or two years.”

Boris Johnson and his manifesto has so far ruled out an extension to the transition deal – yet he has plans to divert from EU rules, which could cause lengthy negotiations and a possible Brexit impasse, as the 1 July 2020 deadline for agreeing a transition extension looms.

If there is no extension and no deal by December, Britain would leave without a trade deal – meaning trade barriers, quotas and tariffs under World Trade Organisation rules.

Former British ambassador to the EU Ivan Rogers warned last week: “The crisis likely to confront us is at Christmas 2020. Firms are only just waking up to the huge implications.”

THE BREX-MAS GENERAL ELECTION: 12 DECEMBER 2019

Vote for Brexit Deal

Following the NATO Summit early last week, the Conservatives set out their agenda for the first 100 days in office. They are committing to an initial vote in Parliament for the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement before Christmas as well as producing a Brexit Budget by the end of February.

Polling predictions

In the final week before the General Election, polling expert Professor Sir John Curtice, has surmised that the Conservatives are commandeering the Leave vote and have wrested any control that the Brexit party might’ve had as four of Nigel Farage’s candidates stood down last week. In addition, the Conservatives are aggressively targeting leave Labour heartlands. However there is still ‘volatility’ – or a split over the remain vote with it 21% estimated in the Lib Dems favour. However, Labour is still squeezing any Lib Dem advantage. His prediction: a Tory majority or another hung parliament.

Misrepresentation of Brexit impact on Northern Ireland?

On Friday morning, ahead of the leaders’ debate, Jeremy Corbyn unveiled ‘secret, confidential’ documents that disproved there won’t be many more checks between Ireland, Northern Ireland and Great Britain. The papers from the Treasury revealed that there is still a lot of detail still to be worked out, that Boris Johnson doesn’t want to admit to.

In the leadership debate, Corbyn argued for a single market trade deal with Europe, but he faced scrutiny of Labour's Brexit position - to negotiate a deal with the EU and put it to a referendum - and his own position of staying neutral in any campaign.