NEW: The hashtag EU has rejected No 10’s request for access to crime and illegal migration databases, including fingerprint data, as part of a hashtag#Brexit reset

As a result, hashtag No10 is expected to turn down a youth mobility scheme at the May 19 summit

Industry leaders have written to Nick Thomas-Symonds

More than 60 travel industry leaders have written to Nick Thomas-Symonds – the minister for EU relations – urging him to pursue youth mobility arrangements between the UK and EU as part of talks to reset the UK’s relationship with the bloc.

The government has announced that a UK-EU summit will take place on May 19 in hashtag#London and a youth mobility hashtag#visa is likely to be on the agenda.

Travel bosses argue such a scheme would help to remove some of the cost and red tape on businesses who are looking to employ UK staff in the EU, and vice versa, and would reopen the industry’s talent pipeline.

Signatories to the letter include Tui, Jet2, Dertour UK, Abta, hashtag#Tourism Alliance, hashtag UK Hospitality, UKinbound and SBiT.

Abta and Tourism Alliance – the two trade bodies behind the letter – say employing UK staff abroad has been an “operational and expensive nightmare” for travel businesses since the UK left the EU.

Many outbound travel businesses have had to alter the holidays they sell to customers or change the service they provide, because they aren’t able to get the UK staff they need.

Similarly, inbound tourism has struggled to get EU workers filling important roles in the UK.

Travel and tourism is worth more than £165 billion in annual GVA [gross value added] to the economy and support more than than million jobs across the country.