It comes after the UK and French governments agreed last night that rapid-result lateral flow Covid tests could be deployed to allow "essential" travellers and freight operators to travel across the Channel.  

Lata chief executive Danny Callaghan said: "The tourism industry has, for some time, been calling for the use of rapid-result testing to facilitate the restart of tourism, both outbound and inbound. 

"We hope that this acceptance by the government of the efficacy of rapid testing can be further deployed to help the beleaguered travel industry.

"It is unfortunate that this acceptance of rapid testing had to be brought forward by the plight of the thousands of lorry drivers who have been stuck, unable to cross the Channel for days, and our thoughts are with them and their families for the stress that they have been put under so close to Christmas. 

"We hope that their unfortunate experience can have a knock-on positive outcome for travel and tourism in 2021."