IATA opposes 60% hike in UK ETA cost | The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has strongly opposed the UK Home Office’s proposal to raise the cost of UK Electronic Travel Authorizations (ETAs) by 60%, bringing the fee to £16.
Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, noted that: “Proposing to increase ETA costs just one week after the system was introduced is perplexing. If implemented, it would harm the UK’s tourism competitiveness. In November, the government outlined plans to boost tourist arrivals by 30% to reach 50 million annually by 2030, recognising the economic benefits of tourism.
However, imposing a 60% increase in the ETA fees is an unfortunate start. This added expense would be on top of the Air Passenger Duty (APD)—the highest travel tax in the world—which is also set to rise again in April. Furthermore, travellers have options, and the EU’s ETIAS, which costs about a third as much and is valid for a year longer, will present better value.”
He added that the UK government needs to understand the broader implications as it stands to gain significantly by making the UK a more cost-competitive travel destination, including the considerable tax revenues generated by visitors.
“It simply does not make sense to deter travelers with high costs before they even arrive in the country,” Mr. Walsh added.
Currently, UK aviation and tourism support 1.6 million jobs, contributing £67 billion to the UK’s GDP. For more information, please refer to the IATA study on the Value of Air Transport to the United Kingdom.
AviationGhana | IATA opposes 60% hike in UK ETA cost
