TripAdvisor poll reveals British travellers are increasingly informed on APD as key industry figures rally against it. APD has long been a hotly-debated and well-known issue within the travel industry, but despite the cost implications for the passenger, the average traveller seemingly knew little about it. New TripAdvisor research indicates this may now be changing.
 
In a poll carried out by TripAdvisor in November 2010, only one-third (33%) of respondents claimed to know what APD was and how it worked, while the same number claimed to never have heard of it.
 
One year later, TripAdvisor has repeated the poll and found that the number of travellers well-informed on APD has increased by 48%. Poll results from December 2011 show that half (49%) of travellers claim to now know what APD is and how it works, while the number of travellers who have never heard of APD has shrunk to 22%.
 
“Despite its financial impact on the traveller, the controversy around APD has largely been limited to those within the travel industry,” commented Emma Shaw, TripAdvisor spokesperson. “With the Treasury’s recent decision to retain the APD structure, concerns over the economy and particularly the airline industry’s strong and well-publicised stance on the tax, it seems travellers are now paying attention to the potential impact APD could have on their holiday cost.”
 
The treasury announced on 6 December that it would retain the current four-band APD structure.