These businesses will be among the last to reopen following the UK lockdown, says the HBAA, which represents more than 300 organisations in the hotel booking agency, apartment and venue community. In a statement released today [24 April 2020], HBAA chair Lex Butler said: “This industry will probably be one of the last to be fully up and running again once social distancing regulations are relaxed, and it will suffer greatly for some time.

“Sport will be hosted behind closed doors, shops will reopen, yet the future of our industry remains very uncertain.”

Butler went on to say that the HBAA is also calling for National Insurance and pension contribution holidays, and support for businesses that are not covered by a business rates holiday.

“Service, skills and teamwork are the foundations of our industry’s success. If we are unable to retain the experienced people who apply these human qualities… the industry will struggle to maintain the high standards on which its success has been built,” Butler said.

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