Amid the coronavirus pandemic, ABTA has postponed its annual travel convention. The event was planned for October 2020 in Morocco and is now expected to move to the same time next year.

Instead, the group holds a UK conference in autumn at a similar time.

After a discussion with the National Tourist Office of Morocco, the focus of the current critical situation affecting the travellers both in the UK and in Morocco was determined by ABTA and the tourist office.

"We are very sad to have the scheduled conference in Marrakech postponed this year, but the situation we have today leaves us with no alternative," said Chief Executive of ABTA, Mark Tanzer.

"I'm happy the Moroccan National Tourist Office announced that is supposed to host the event in October 2021, and I'm sure the conference will then be a big success for our hosts, delegates and our leading partners."

He said, "We're holding an industry forum this year, which will combine the annual Travel Matters policy forum usually held in June with a conference focusing on the problems and chances of the industry recovering on the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.