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The summer holiday season could yet be salvaged by a decision to exempt fully vaccinated holidaymakers from quarantine on their return from amber list countries, agents from across the UK have told TTG.
The government will this month review whether quarantine can be eased for amber list arrivals after both prime minster Boris Johnson and former health secretary Matt Hancock both indicated the proposal was being given serious thought. Johnson also said the pace at which the UK was delivering second jabs presented a “real opportunity” to open up travel.
His comments came a day after Travel Day of Action on Wednesday 23 June, and served as further evidence that the industry’s message was now being heard loud and clear.
Besides a number of island additions to the green list, the proposed concessions offer hope that pent-up demand for holidays will fuel a rush of last-minute bookings to amber list destinations such as the Spain, Greece and Portugal. It would effectively turn the amber list green for those who have had their full course of a Covid vaccine, although it remains to be seen whether destinations will impose UK-specific travel restrictions owing to the Delta variant.
Lee Hunt, owner of Deben Travel, told TTG it would be the opening up of amber list travel rather than expanding the green list that would “make or break” the summer, with agents still hoping to cash in before the winter.
“Expanding the green list massively helps, but it might not initially drive a huge volume of bookings,” he said. “People are still wary about what happened with Portugal when it was withdrawn with just a few days’ notice.
"You need these things to go hand-in- hand. If people with both jabs know they don’t have to quarantine from an amber country, then they will book a green destination without having to worry about it going amber.”
Hunt added it was vital the relaxation for fully vaccinated travellers should start from 19 July, when England is due to lift remaining Covid restrictions.
Rob Kenton, managing director of Triangle Travel, agreed the date of introduction of the new rules was crucial. “It is massive for people who want to travel, and agents alike,” said Kenton. The pressure of Travel Day of Action has helped to get the message across – we have now been heard.”
Claire Moore, managing director of Peakes Travel Elite, likened the easing of restrictions to “baby steps”, which she said could boost confidence among “nervous” customers. “Any step forward is positive,” she added. “There could 100% be a late summer surge in bookings if the destination is green.”
Cartwright Travel managing director Steve Cartwright said: “The removal of quarantine for amber list arrivals could save summer. No quarantine will be fantastic. Why have vaccines if we can’t travel?”
The industry has also continued to call for more clarity on how the government makes decisions on a country’s traffic light status. Kelly Cookes, Advantage Travel Partnership’s leisure director, said: “When we look at the data for different countries, it seems as though they should be green. But then they’re not and no one really understands why.”
The situation could become more complex if the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland decide to deviate from a “four nation approach” to lifting travel restrictions.
Joanne Dooey, owner of Love to Travel and president of the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association, highlighted the problems caused when there are different rules across the UK.
“If we don’t go with a four nations approach and Scotland is more cautious, then everybody will be travelling to England to fly and that doesn’t help Scottish airports. We’re already losing big international carriers – will they come back?
"When MSC Cruises wasn’t allowed to dock in Scotland, a lot of Scottish customers just got the train down to Liverpool and got on the ship there. That’s absolutely ludicrous.”
Dooey said it could already be “too late” to save the summer season for Scottish agents as schools have already broken up for their holidays. “It feels like we’re done for summer but, if they open up, we could get July before the kids go back – and August,” she added.
Northern Ireland Tourism Alliance chair Damian Murphy said the lack of a digital vaccine certificate was a major barrier to a restart there.
“The Republic of Ireland has its digital version and has said it is going to reopen travel on 19 July,” he said. “They have made it clear they will make travel much easier for anyone fully vaccinated. It looks like they are dealing with it much better than we are.”
There are two main concerns hampering customer confidence right now: the cost of testing and quarantine on return. If the need for at least one of these things can be relaxed, that would really help with confidence for summer travel.
However, having a four nations approach for this guidance is non-negotiable. Scotland is already at risk of falling behind in recovery due to the high testing costs for arrivals, and we are strongly urging the Scottish government to review this as a matter of priority.
Anything other than falling in line with any further changes to travel guidance would be unjust for Scottish travel businesses and for Scottish travellers.
We are also disappointed with the Scottish government’s continued narrative on travel, advising people against international travel this summer. While we understand travel to a number of countries is likely still to be impacted beyond a return to “level zero” restrictions, the travel industry needs to be able to prepare for a sustainable recovery.
Public confidence could be hampered by ongoing remarks that ask people not to travel and would be entirely contradictory to UK government advice if we start to see more destinations come onto the green list, or if double- vaccinated travellers can return from amber countries without the need to quarantine.
As we have said all along, this isn’t just about holidays. Aside from the fact people need to travel for any number of reasons, our sector is an intrinsic part of the economy.
At Travel Day of Action, we heard about the real human impact this crisis is having on businesses and livelihoods – the government must take heed, take action and help to rebuild our industry.
Another month and another maddening journey into the unknown. But make no mistake – travel’s voice was heard on 23 June. No longer can ministers treat the industry with the same contempt. While this treatment won’t be quickly forgotten, what is now vital is for travel to turn those conversations had on College Green, at Holyrood and outside Stormont into an effective, beneficial and long- lasting dialogue with ministers to accelerate the sector’s recovery.
