More than 60 travel industry leaders have written to the Minister for European Relations Nick Thomas-Symonds urging him to pursue a youth mobility deal with the EU.
The letter was sent ahead of talks to reset the UK’s relationship with the bloc.
Travel bosses argue that a youth mobility scheme will help to remove some of the cost and red tape of employing British staff as reps, tour guides and chalet hosts in the EU.
They say it will also reopen the industry’s talent pipeline since many travel leaders started their careers as overseas reps.
Signatories to the letter include TUI, Jet2, DERTOUR UK, ABTA, Tourism Alliance, UK Hospitality, UKinbound and Seasonal Businesses in Travel (SBiT).
ABTA and Tourism Alliance – the two trade bodies behind the letter – say employing UK staff abroad has been an operational and expensive ‘nightmare’ for travel businesses since the UK left the EU.
Many tour operators have had to alter the holidays they sell or change the service they provide in EU countries post-Brexit because they aren’t able to deploy as many British staff to destinations including Spain, France, Austria and Italy.
Similarly, inbound tourism businesses have struggled to hire multi-lingual staff to fill roles in the UK.
Research by ABTA and SBiT shows overseas travel roles have fallen by 69% since the UK’s departure from the EU.
Additionally, travel companies have had to navigate local employment rules in each country, where they exist, to try to deploy British staff.
The letter from travel industry leaders follows reports that Chancellor Rachel Reeves believes a youth mobility scheme will aid UK growth. More than Labour 70 MPs and Peers have reportedly written to the Government to express their support for a UK-EU deal on youth mobility.
ABTA Chief Executive Mark Tanzer said: “A youth mobility arrangement with the EU would be a win-win for the UK.
“A Government focused on driving growth needs to pull those levers that will make it happen – a youth mobility deal is one of them.
“ABTA research shows international travel to and from the UK could be set to grow strongly in the coming years – with the potential for inbound to grow by 20% and outbound by 15% by 2030.
“It also means we’re offering important opportunities for young people – skills and experiences that can help start and define their careers.”
Tourism Alliance Executive Director Richard Toomer added: “Youth mobility gives young people valuable opportunities to travel and experience life in other countries and cultures. Allowing EU and UK residents to take advantage of this scheme would be enormously welcomed by many who will go on to have fulfilling careers in travel and tourism, but also in many cases a life-long appreciation and affection for their host country.
“Concluding a YMS deal with the EU should just be one part of a broader move to break down some of the unnecessary barriers to travel that have gone up since Brexit. Sadly, travelling between the two jurisdictions has become more costly, bureaucratic and time-consuming. An EU-UK reset should aim to tackle that too.”
ABTA Director of Public Affairs Luke Petherbridge added: “We’ve been talking to governments – past and present – since 2016 about the need for a UK-EU youth mobility arrangement.
“The recent positive noises from Ministers and MPs show it’s important to be persistent – this is what effective lobbying is about. Obviously, there is still a long way to go, with the renegotiations only just starting in a few weeks’ time, but it’s encouraging that sentiment in the UK is shifting in our favour.”
