ABTA has announced the full speaker line up for the annual Travel Matters conference being held in Westminster later this month. Joining senior stakeholders from across the industry will be the Aviation Minister, Robert Goodwill MP and the Shadow Secretary for Transport, Mary Creagh MP, who will deliver keynote speeches.

Travel Matters provides the industry with a forum to discuss and debate the latest news from Westminster, Brussels and beyond, and key policy matters and current issues which are affecting travel and tourism. This year’s theme is ‘Targeting Growth, 2015 and Beyond’ and focusses on how the industry can deliver economic growth to the next general election, and beyond.

The event will be opened by ABTA’s Chief Executive, Mark Tanzer, who will highlight the key themes for discussion throughout the day, including the challenges and opportunities facing travel and tourism businesses against a sometimes complex and changing political and legal landscape.

Mark will be joined onstage to discuss current industry hot topics by a panel of industry leaders, including Julia Lo Bue-Said, Advantage Travel Partnership and Phil Boggon of the Monarch Travel Group. The full programme can be viewed here.

Travel Matters is an invitation-only event for senior representatives from ABTA’s membership, the wider travel industry, and key media and political stakeholders.

ABTA Head of Public Affairs Stephen D’Alfonso said;

“Politics is centre-stage in the UK at the moment as we countdown to May 2015, and Travel Matters is a great opportunity to bring the politics and policy debate to the heart of the industry. ABTA is delighted to welcome an outstanding panel of industry experts for this important event. With a packed agenda and a host of lively question and answer sessions expected I look forward, with colleagues, to welcoming delegates from across travel, Westminster, the media and beyond.”