The record
ABTA and UKinbound held a joint reception at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool on Sunday 27 September 2026. The two associations placed a set of figures on inbound and outbound travel before MPs and set out three policy requests. This account follows the associations' release of 28 September 2026 and the report that release accompanies.
The three requests, as stated
The associations name business rates, Air Passenger Duty and visa costs as barriers to growth. They put the competitiveness of UK businesses and their employment costs to the MPs in the room. The release states no cost for any of the three, no requested rate or threshold and no deadline for a change.
Hotel owners carry business rates on the property and Air Passenger Duty on inbound and outbound air travel. Both items sit inside the operating and travel costs a buyer prices.
Attendance and roles
Chris Webb MP hosted. Webb represents Blackpool South and chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tourism and Hospitality. Stephanie Peacock MP spoke in her capacity as Tourism Minister. Peacock represents Barnsley South and serves as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, an appointment made on 22 July 2026.
More than fifty guests attended. The associations describe them as industry leaders and senior politicians. UKinbound names the event the inaugural Tourism Reception at the Labour Party Conference, and its chief executive states in the release that the slot is reserved for next year.
The headline figures and their scope
The two numbers are 88.5 billion pounds in gross value added and more than 1.4 million jobs. ABTA and UKinbound own both figures and report the combined total rising from 80 billion pounds. Both cover inbound and outbound travel together.
How the report divides the total
Outbound travel accounts for 57 billion pounds of the gross value added. Employment divides into 865,000 outbound jobs and 508,000 inbound jobs. The 1.4 million total splits into 576,000 direct jobs, 337,000 indirect jobs and 252,000 induced jobs.
The report carries a nation and region breakdown. In the north-west of England, where the conference took place, outbound travel contributes 6.4 billion pounds and 98,000 jobs. Inbound travel contributes 3.5 billion pounds and 57,000 jobs across that region.
The argument for the requests
The release grounds the asks in the links between the two sectors. Outbound travel supplies the passenger volumes that keep international routes viable, and those routes serve regional airports across the country. The joint statement names ports and airports as infrastructure both sectors use.
Statements from the room
Luke Petherbridge, Director of Public Affairs at ABTA, said the event gave the industry a chance to celebrate its contribution and to discuss the links between inbound and outbound travel with Labour politicians. He said the discussions turned on the role outbound travel plays in jobs and growth across the United Kingdom. He said the trade wants a policy environment that supports its future success.
Joss Croft OBE, chief executive of UKinbound, called the event the inaugural Tourism Reception at the Labour Party Conference. He said the attendance and the quality of discussion reflected recognition of the sector's role in jobs, investment and growth across every nation and region. He said UKinbound members in the room set out the opportunities and the challenges they face.
Webb said a new administration in Downing Street is a renewed opportunity for the industry to be heard, and he placed tourism among the strategically important parts of the economy. Peacock recognised the challenges the industry faces and said she intends to engage, to build relationships and to advocate for tourism across government.
The government review the requests meet
HM Treasury opened a call for evidence on 24 August 2026 on the valuation methodology for pub and hotel business rates in England and Wales. The consultation closes on 16 October 2026, and Jerry Schurder leads the review.
The review covers around 7,600 hotels across England and Wales, of which around 1,500 sit in London, according to the call for evidence. The document states the most recent revaluation took effect on 1 April 2026 and drew on rental values at 1 April 2024.
The reception release notes no commitment from the minister on business rates, Air Passenger Duty or visa costs. It records no departmental response to the three requests.