SBIT is fighting back Brexit – you can help too!

SBIT stands for Seasonal Business in Travel. It is a membership organisation of 200 outbound British travel and service companies operating throughout the summer and winter holiday seasons. All members are SMEs and British businesses, not multinationals. Every company shares a common business model: they are highly seasonal so either specialise in winter or summer holidays and their business depend on being able to seamlessly move their temporary UK staff between countries in the EU in order to service their customers during periods of peak demand.

The Organisation’s Aim

The aim is to protect 25,000 British jobs in their sector and to keep on giving value and choice to the British holidaymakers.

By raising awareness of the threats presented by Brexit, especially a no-deal Brexit, their aim is to ensure that policy makers on both sides of the channel take into account the value UK businesses deliver to EU resorts and destinations and to ensure that they put in place appropriate measures to support their mutual economic benefits – should Brexit in any form go ahead.

By also calling for a People’s vote with the option to remain, so people, now armed with more information and with a possible deal on the table, can make a more informed choice.

Background

In the UK alone 25,000 people are employed in the EU in this sector, £16.5 million is contributed to the UK’s GDP by such holiday companies. These companies rely on their ability to temporarily post UK workers in different countries in the EU. It underpins their business models and without this facility or, with the implementation of long administrative processes and additional costs, many of these businesses will not survive.

In summer and winter resorts in countries such as France, Austria and Italy, this temporary UK labour relieves the shortages of English-speaking staff already experienced by these destinations. They also attract British visitors and on returning to the UK take on roles selling and operating these very destinations – thereby generating business.

SIBT has been lobbying the French in many occasions this past year:

Oct 17 “le Brexit, et le marche des sport d’hiver en France”

Dec 17 Compagnies des Alpes support document/discussion Dominique Marcel to Jean-Yves Le Drian (French foreign minister)

Jan 18 Grand Ski presentation, panel and interviews at Chambery

Jan 19 Mtg Vincent Rolland – Depute de la Savoie in Albertville

Feb 19 Mtg representatives of the British Consul / Embassy in Chambery – general discussion and request for support / info

Feb 19 Mtg with Luis Vassy – deputy to the Minister of Foreign Affairs & Vincent Rolland in Paris

Apr 19 “Hearing” / “Audition” with the Assemblée Nationale Tourism Commission in Albertville

There is already some damage done with the “Brexit effect”:

66% have changed their accommodation contracts by reducing the number of contracts, shortening them, and introducing break clauses in anticipation of consequences of Brexit.

7% reduction in UK workers posted to EU already occurred.

58% increase in cost base predicted with a hard, poorly negotiated or no-deal Brexit

31% increase in holiday prices would follow

Amongst SIBT members you find the following:

Ski Total, Mark Warner, European Pubs, Zenith Holidays, Kaluma Travel, Highlife, Mountainsun France, Venue Holidays, Inghams, Ski Famille, Ski Esprit, Purple Ski, Ski Weekends, Skiworld, Ocean Elements, Inghams lakes and mountains, Hip Hideouts, Seafarer Cruising & Sailing, Simply Morzine, Simply Salema, Will-i-ski, Wildwind, Healthy Options, Ski Vive, Esplora, Inghams Italy, The Alpine Generation, Alpoholics, Cool Ski jobs, Stanford Skiing, Family Ski Company, Ice and Fire Ski and Snowboard Holidays, Ski Olympic, YSE, Inghams, Meribel Ski Chalets, MTB Beds, Alpine Elements, Inferno Morzine, Mountain Heaven, The White Valley Company, Chalet Chardons, Orchards Cookery, Allez Alps, White Mountain Chalets, Ski Magic, The Alpine Club, Equity, Worldwide Kids, Mountain Express, Summit Special, Ski Val, Stanford Skiing, In 2 Action, Friendship travel, Tignes.co.uk, Val.co.uk

If you want to become a member, you need to be a UK company who temporarily post UK staff to other EU countries. To register. go to sbit.org.uk. With more numbers of companies, pressure can be bigger. Last year membership was between GBP 100 to GBP 500, depending on the turnover of the company.

You can read a report put together by SBIT about what Brexit will cause to the British outbound tourism industry here.

More information: SBIT

We’ve been talking about Brexit and what you need to plan when going to the continent for your ski holidays or summer in the mountains. Here are tips for self-drive skiers going to the Continent after Brexit comes along (if it does come along!) We’ve written how the French Resorts put together an anti-Brexit campaign. We covered the opinion of MPI Brokers about what could happen after Brexit. Plus this was a report put together of what would happen to the English Consumers after Brexit (prepared for when Brexit was going to come up on March 29th). We’ve seen also what Eurotunnel was saying about travelling with your pet after Brexit.

Talking of UK companies, Hotelplan has just acquired Flexiski. And Erna Low has been sold to Nuco Travel. If you want to participate in the last Consumer Report that the Ski Club of Great Britain will put together, you have time until 26th July to do so!

You can search for your own accommodation in the snow for your next ski holiday through our Accommodation Search tab.

The-Ski-Guru TRAVEL is a CONCIERGE service that can help you organise your bespoke ski trip to the Americas, Alps or Japan, including for those going from Britain to Europe, helping you book your Eurotunnel trip, and for all trips: lodging, lift tickets, rentals, ski school, and all you need for an excellent vacation. Go to https://www.the-ski-guru.com/travel and upload your information – this page will be updated soon with more travel ideas. Check our amazing Ski Safari in the Dolomites , stay at the San Lorenzo Lodge White Deer in the Val Pusteria of Sudtirol, in the Hotel Petrus in Riscone, for skiing Kronplatz, or check our offer to Obergurgl-Hochgurgl and Sölden to ski with your family. Maybe you want to come on my group to ski with other like-minded skiers in Courmayeur in January 2020, staying at the Gran Baita hotel?

You can start thinking about your trip, by reading the articles on the Planning your Ski Trip tab. Or how to pack for your family ski trip. If taking your furry friend abroad to the continent, read about the new Pet Travel Scheme update from DEFRA. Self-drive skiers also need to plan for Brexit. Check out our tips for driving to the mountains. If flying and renting a car in Europe, beware of the extra charges they will pass to you if you want winter tyres, snow chains or ski racks. If driving, check the winter tyres news for Europe and North America. You can see how our last family ski holiday was not as expected, even though one plans it to be a success, but how we could do the most of it. If you want to get better before getting to your next ski holiday, here is a quick guide to indoor skiing and dry slopes in the UK.

Featured Image: SBIT is fighting back Brexit – you can help too! Photo: Skiworld, one of the members of SBIT.

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