Travel agent action group TARGET has urged its 1,000-plus members to write to ABTA Chief Executive Mark Tanzer ahead of his appearance at the Treasury Select Committee next Monday.

TARGET Co-Founder Graeme Brett described this is ‘a massive opportunity for the travel industry to get our message across of how we have suffered financially’.

Urging agents to write to Mr Tanzer with their stories, Mr Brett said TARGET would like to provide him with suggestions of what future support agents need to survive.

Agents are being asked to email their messages and stories to [email protected].

TARGET wrote to Mr Tanzer and ABTA Chairman Alistair Rowland last week to request a reduction in ABTA fees for all agents this year, arguing that many of its members would struggle to pay.

It is still waiting for an official response, but ABTA said the subs were needed for it to support agents.

TARGET is also urging members to email their MPs to support them and contribute to a Parliamentary debate on 10 June, led by MP for Crawley Henry Smith, on support for the aviation and travel and tourism industries.

In a Facebook post, Mr Brett wrote: “I am sure that the more Travel Agents he hears from it can only strengthen his arguments.

“We can make a difference if we all do this – so please take 5 minutes to contact your MPs.”

TARGET has already asked its members to write to Chancellor Rishi Sunak asking for specific financial support after a survey showed that more than 70% have not received any personal support from the Government during the COVID crisis.