Julian Knight is very pleased that leading figures in the British tourism industry agree with him about the need to make sure English regional airports are competitive.
He raised the issue of Air Passenger Duty (APD) on Tuesday during an inquiry by the Culture, Media, and Sport Select Committee. Deidre Wells, the CEO of UKInbound, agreed with Julian that UK airports and local holidaymakers are heavily taxed.
She also warned that with APD soon to be devolved to the Scottish Parliament it was vital that English regional airports were allowed to stay competitive. Julian has previously called for Birmingham Airport to get a ‘holiday’ from the charge in order to help it keep hold of valuable long-distance routes.
He also asked the panellists, which also included the CEOs of the British Hospitality Association and VisitBritain, how policymakers could take advantage of the opportunities offered by Brexit to boost the tourism sector.
In response to the news, Julian Knight said:
“Birmingham Airport is a very important local employer in Solihull, and regional airports are vital to building a balanced national economy. Long-haul connections boost local businesses and provide visitors with gateways to different parts of our United Kingdom.
“As we leave the EU to pursue a truly global role for Britain, such international routes will be more important than ever before.
“With the Scottish Government planning to cut Air Passenger Duty, we must make sure that our local airports don’t get left behind. The new West Midlands Combined Authority is well-placed to take control of this tax, and I hope the Government will give serious consideration to devolving it.”