The British government must review as a matter of urgency its decision to increase air passenger duty - that's the view of the Pacific Asia Travel Association.

"It's no more than a swingeing, punitive tax on business and on families. Destinations across the Asia Pacific region are battling against the dramatic impacts of the global economic downturn. The UNWTO states, quite right, that travel and tourism can be an effective part of the G20 stimulus packages - and yet the British government sees fit to maintain its plan to impose these dramatic increases in departure tax," says President and CEO Greg Duffell.

"What PM Gordon Brown giveth, Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling taketh away. The Chancellor is acting like a modern day Sheriff of Nottingham - imposing ill conceived, unfair and unjustified burdens on travellers and the tourism industry. We are very disappointed that the recent Budget Statement failed to address this issue. 

"This policy will surely backfire. Savvy travellers will choose long-haul destinations out of airports in continental Europe - and that's a serious threat to businesses and jobs in the UK," adds Greg Duffell.

PATA believes these latest tax increases place a disproportionate burden on travel and tourism and are little more than a further method of generating revenue for the British government under the very dubious cover of consolidating its green credentials.

"We support the efforts of governments, tourism organisations and other industry players in the UK and across the Asia Pacific region to get this policy reviewed," says Greg Duffell.