An award winning Pembrokeshire travel agent is backing a travel industry campaign seeking specific government support for a sector on the brink of collapse.

Ocky White Travel in Haverfordwest is one of thousands of travel companies – and their customers – who are backing the #SaveTravel campaign, by signing a letter to transport secretary Grant Shapps and chancellor Rishi Sunak demanding urgent financial support for travel businesses and their employees.

Without urgent help, hundreds of thousands of jobs could be lost, and hundreds of the nation’s favourite holiday companies could collapse, says Mark White, Managing Director of Ocky White Travel and Milford Haven Travel.

The #SaveTravel campaign, launched by the UK’s oldest travel trade magazine, Travel Trade Gazette, has issued the following demands:

• A holiday on Air Passenger Duty until the end of August 2021, to help with pricing and encourage consumers to start booking holidays again

• Direct sector-specific support for the travel industry and the many travel agencies, tour operators and other SMEs working within it – not just airlines

• A commitment to giving more notice on changes in travel advice and quarantine status.

Mr White said no other industry has faced the unique set of challenges of the travel sector.

“My team has been working tirelessly – and in effect, for free – since March to process refunds and rebookings for our clients, and with consumer confidence in booking future trips so dented by recent changes to travel advice and quarantine, we are now facing the most serious crisis our company has faced.

“Travel companies like mine help holidaymakers create some of their most precious memories – but if UK travellers want companies like us to survive, we need them too to lend their support to this campaign.”

Holidaymakers and other travellers can sign the letter and find more information at: www.savetravel.co.uk