CTO Video Puts Case against APD

CTO Video Puts Case against APD

Abta, footballer Les Ferdinand, and politicians and businessmen with interests in the Caribbean all feature in a new video shot to highlight the case against APD. The video, shot by the Caribbean Tourism Organization, comes after Chancellor George Osborne announced a freeze in APD until next April in last week’s Budget.

Minister for tourism for St Kitts and Nevis and CTO chairman Ricky Skerritt pledges to do whatever is necessary to increase awareness about “how much APD is hurting the Caribbean”.

In last week’s announcement the chancellor said there would be a consultation to review the banding structure of APD that unfairly places the Caribbean in the same bracket as California and Hawaii.

However, suggested banding changes may not help bring down the cost of APD, and business leaders and politicians have called for it to be scrapped arguing travellers are seeking to avoid it, denting the Treasury’s ability to make revenue from the tax.

Abta’s head of public affairs Luke Pollard features in the video, claiming APD is making the UK uncompetitive. Ferdinand, who played for Newcastle, Tottenham and QPR in an illustrious career, said UK citizens with roots in the Caribbean are being put off travelling to the region to see friends and family.

He called on the Caribbean population in the UK to back the campaign to force a change in APD. Abta, and an unprecedented coalition of travel industry firms, have come together under the A Fair Tax on Flying campaign to highlight the problem of rising taxation on the aviation industry. To watch the CTO video, please click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRE-a-5o3Bk&feature=player_embedded.