The UK Outbound Travel Group has expanded its membership.
Andy Freeth, Group CEO of Travcorp Holdings, which includes Specialist Holidays Group, and PT Trustees CEO Sudheer Sharma have joined at the group’s highest tier of membership.
UK Outbound Travel Group spokesperson Julia Lo Bue-Said said: “We are delighted to welcome Travcorp Holdings and PT Trustees Limited to the group.
“These are two highly respected and influential industry leaders and their decision to join at Champion Level speaks volumes about the direction and ambition of the group.
“Having names of this calibre around the table significantly raises our profile and reinforces the credibility of everything we are working to achieve. The more prominent the voices within our membership, the stronger and more authoritative our representation becomes both in Westminster and across the wider industry.
“In an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape, coordinated strategic amplification of the sector, is no longer a luxury, it is a fundamental necessity. Crises do not announce themselves, and the UK outbound travel industry cannot afford to be caught without a unified voice when they arrive. That is precisely why the UK Outbound Travel Group exists.”
Andy said: “The UK outbound travel sector plays a vital role in the UK economy, yet it has often lacked a clear, unified voice at the moments that matter most. This is an important time for the industry, particularly as we look to drive sensible reform of the Package Travel Regulations, ensuring they better support both businesses and customers in times of crisis, while also ensuring our industry is better represented, better understood, and better prepared to navigate an increasingly unpredictable global environment.”
Sudheer added: “I look forward to working with the UK Outbound Travel Group team to support its objectives, whilst collaborating to help develop and improve consumer protection regulations and processes.”
The group said it is entering the second half of the year with ‘considerable momentum’. Its inaugural Westminster event takes place in June, with Stephanie Peacock MP, Minister for Sport, Tourism, Civil Society and Youth in attendance. UK Outbound Travel Group said: “The event marks a landmark moment in the group’s mission to embed the UK Outbound Travel sector firmly on the political agenda.”
The group has also recently appointed a dedicated social media specialist to amplify its voice and build wider awareness of the industry’s economic and social significance. In addition, its MP Engagement Programme has so far resulted in 100 MPs being hosted on visits to travel businesses in the network.
