Calls for greater clarity after Government travel report published

9 April 2021, 05:50

The Government has not confirmed if foreign holidays will go ahead
The Government has not confirmed if foreign holidays will go ahead. Picture: PA

By Maddie Goodfellow

Calls for greater clarity and more solutions from the Government have rung out following publication of the findings of its taskforce into international travel in the wake of the pandemic.

The Global Travel Taskforce has stopped short of confirming whether foreign holidays will be permitted from May 17 or which destinations people can visit without self-isolating on their return.

Announcing the group's findings, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps did confirm a traffic light system would be used to categorise countries based on risk, but the Department for Transport says it will not be until early next month that it will decide "which countries will be on which list".

Mr Shapps also said the Government would work with the travel industry and private Covid testing providers to reduce the cost of foreign trips.

But reaction to the findings from MPs and the travel industry has been mixed, with Labour's shadow transport secretary Jim McMahon saying it again showed the Government lacked a plan for the travel industry, including on financial support.

Nick Ferrari asks Matt Hancock whether Brits can go on holiday

"Time and again the UK Government have been devoid of strategy when it comes to protecting our borders against Covid," Mr McMahon said in a statement.

"At a time when cases are rising across Europe and the threat of variants remains deeply worrying, we need a comprehensive hotel quarantine system, to help protect the gains of the vaccine. The first priority has to be keeping people safe.

"Labour will look at these proposals, but proper details and clarity about strategy are vital. This must include the criteria by which the 'traffic lights' will be decided, as well as clear information for travellers and industry, about what test will be required and resulting costs."

He added: "It will take a long time for international travel to recover from the impact of the virus. The Government must come up with a comprehensive financial support package for the aviation sector and its supply chain which supports almost a quarter of a million jobs and protects the environment and stimulates further decarbonisation of the industry."

The Business Travel Association (BTA) lambasted the report as "yet another hammer blow" for business travel, and called on the Government to "at the very least" maintain the furlough scheme for the travel industry until September.

"Whilst we welcome the acknowledgement of the importance of business and leisure travel to the UK economy, this theoretical framework provides no more certainty than the Prime Minister's brief comments on Monday," BTA CEO Clive Wratten said in a statement.

"The traffic light system is something we have long campaigned for. However, it is only one piece of the jigsaw if the aviation, business, and leisure travel industries are to survive.

"We urgently ask the Government to at the very least maintain the current furlough scheme until September for the entire travel supply chain. This will hopefully enable us to contribute to UK plc as soon as it is safe to do so."

Will summer holidays be allowed? This is what ministers have said...

Rory Boland, editor of industry publication Which? Travel, said the report was "an important step towards resuming international travel" but did not go far enough.

"The report correctly identifies some of the key barriers facing travellers, but it falls short in providing solutions," Mr Boland said in a statement.

"Holidaymakers will still face the eye-watering costs of Covid tests, which are currently much more expensive in the UK than in many other European countries, and risk pricing people out of taking a holiday.

"There is also little detail on reassurances that destinations won't suddenly be moved from green to amber or red, putting travellers at risk of last-minute changes and unaffordable quarantine costs."

The Board of Airline Representatives in the UK (BAR UK) welcomed the report, saying it would help airlines prepare for the return of international flying.

"Clearly we would like the Government to sharpen their pencils on the plan in advance of implementation but the framework creates the building blocks to open up further through the built-in review periods," the board's CEO Dale Keller said in a statement.

Mr Keller said BAR UK supported the traffic light categorisation system for travel destinations and would "propose further initiatives and enhancements, such as acceptance of rapid lateral flow tests, to further reduce cost and complexity for travellers from lower risk countries".

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

The mum was jailed for missing an appointment 20 years ago.

'I've lost everything all over again': Mum-of-three recalled to jail for missing one probation meeting 20 years ago

Hvaldimir died earlier this year

Russian 'spy' Beluga whale 'was being trained to guard Kremlin's military base but fled because it was a hooligan'

Hayley Dowell, 38, died after suffering medical complications when she travelled to Turkey for cosmetic procedures

UK woman died after butt-lift surgery in Turkey ‘after surgeon walked out’

Jonathan Edge pleaded guilty to offences under the Fraud Act.

Dad jailed for selling 'dodgy Fire Sticks’ to stream Premier League football compared himself to 'Robin Hood'

Pete Hegseth accidentally hit a drummer with an axe

Watch as Trump's new Defence Secretary pick hits drummer with axe on TV

Exclusive
Families of those harmed by the existing ban on assisted dying gather outside Houses of Parliament as the Private Member’s Bill to legalise assisted dying is formally tabled by Kim Leadbeater

Brits want new assisted dying laws to go even further, poll reveals

The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has resigned

Abuse is a 'whole church problem' safeguarding lead warns in wake of Archbishop of Canterbury’s resignation

Wes Streeting plans to give the drug to unemployed and obese Brits.

Failing NHS hospitals to be named and shamed as Wes Streeting pledges to sack underperforming managers

The Princess of Wales greets well-wishers after attending the Christmas service at St Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham.

Kate's Christmas return: Annual carol service will go ahead this year as Princess of Wales reveals special theme

Donald Trump has appointed Elon Musk to his cabinet when he becomes president

Elon Musk to lead US ‘DOGE’ department to cut bureaucracy which they claim will be ‘Manhattan Project of our time’

Donald Trump has appointed Elon Musk to his cabinet when he becomes president

Donald Trump confirms tech billionaire Elon Musk will join cabinet when he becomes president

Shop selling knives in the Old Town in Chania, Crete, Greece.

Social media bosses who don't stop illegal knives being advertised on their sites could face fines

Several sandbags to contain the new flood in Aldaia, Valencia

Flood-hit areas of Spain brace for torrential rain forecast as orange alert issued

Hereford, Herefordshire, UK – Friday 4th July 2024 –

More than half of candidates claim they were abused or intimidated during election campaign

Booker Prize 2024 Award Ceremony in London

Samantha Harvey becomes first woman since 2019 to win Booker Prize

All Main Candidates For PM Address CBI Conference

Victim of serial abuser John Smyth says Archbishop's resignation paves way for others to be held 'accountable'