The ANVR is responding moderately positively to the expansion of the support measures and is pleased that the cabinet is making extra support available to help companies through this crisis. Both large and small travel companies are affiliated with the travel industry organization for business and leisure travelers, independent travel agents and travel agency restaurants, near and distant travel specialists. All of them desperately need the extra support now that with the current travel ban until the end of March they have been practically completely stationary for 13 months (!). And the outlook for 2021 does not appear favorable either, forcing the industry to anticipate another year of dramatic revenue developments.

Frank Oostdam, chairman of ANVR: “We are of course pleased with the expansion of the support package, the increase of the TVL to 85% and that companies that are larger can also make use of this. Obviously, it helps our travel companies that the NOW scheme is increased to 85%. We are pleased that the cabinet is 'puzzling' even further about the use of TVL by smaller organizations. But if this crisis lasts longer, we hope that the support will also continue after 1 July. ”

As one of the hardest hit sectors, the travel sector had actually also pinned its hopes on more sector-specific measures. Oostdam: “Unfortunately, the TVL scheme is not accessible to a large number of independent travel agents, approximately 1000 self-employed people in our sector. And because the 'fine-tuning' for this specific group does not take place now, many freelancers are still left out. We will continue to draw attention to the so-called 'flaws' in the TVL, as a result of which travel agents in particular can make less or no use of support that is also intended for them. ”

As sector-specific, travel companies also think of compensation for their 'unused supplies' - all hundreds of thousands of cancellations and repatriations, for which work has been done but the travel sum has been reimbursed to the travelers - for which compensation to companies in other sectors is now being increased. The ANVR reports this on them website.

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Oostdam: “As a trade association, we will continue to work to overcome this crisis with as many travel companies as possible. We now have to go through the sour apple, but assume that holiday and business travel will soon be possible again with the help of vaccines, many tests, protocols, etc. The customer, who is still just waiting, is now ready for a holiday, according to various studies. ”