Priti with Inntel Chief Executive Douglas O'Neill and staff outside their headquarters in Feering.
Priti Patel MP delighted to support local travel management firm Inntel Travel Ltd
Priti Patel, the Member of Parliament for Witham, was delighted to visit the team at local travel management company Inntel Travel Ltd, based at Threshelfords Business Park in Feering, and to meet with company chief executive Douglas O’Neill.
Inntel Travel, which was founded in 1984 by James O’Neill, was one of the first specialist hotel accommodation agencies and is now the UK’s largest independent meeting and travel management company.
During her visit to their headquarters, Priti met with Chief Executive Douglas O’Neill to discuss how the business has adapted over recent years given the effect of the pandemic and restrictions on travel, and their plans for the future as things now return to normal.
Commenting on her visit, Priti said: “Essex is well known for its entrepreneurial spirit, and we have a wide range of fantastic family owned and led local businesses here in the Witham constituency. Inntel Travel is a family-owned business which has been established locally for almost 40 years.
They are outstanding local employers who have built and grown their international business in the heart of mid-Essex. I was delighted to meet with Doug and his team to discuss a number of business related issues which I shall be raising in Westminster.”
Commenting on the visit, Douglas O’Neill, CEO, Inntel Travel, said: “We thank Ms Patel for visiting our business and taking such a genuine interest in how we operate and the services we offer. Over the last few years the travel industry and in particular the business travel sector, has had to deal with a never-ending set of challenges, from the pandemic when international travel was largely closed, to the continued rise in inflation, rising operating costs and prices.
As our local MP, it was a great opportunity to talk to her about the issues we face, as well as update her on how the industry is currently trading and its growth prospects for the future.”
Julia Lo Bue-Said, Chief Executive, The Advantage Travel Partnership, the UK’s largest independent travel agent partnership, added: “We are delighted that Ms Patel has taken the time to pay a visit Inntel Travel, a long established and much valued member of the Advantage Travel Partnership.
The UK Outbound Travel Industry, including both leisure and business travel, delivers over £80bn overall GVA to the UK economy each year and its overall size and contribution is larger than UK agriculture and fisheries combined.
As part of our MP engagement programme, we welcome MPs visiting our agency partners to better understand the value and contribution we make, so that the industry can be better understood and supported across Government.”