To continue reading this article, subscribe to the Stray Ferret for as little as £1 a week
Already a subscriber? Log in here.
24
May 2021
The ease in travel restrictions does not go far enough to reboot the industry, a local travel agent has claimed.
Last Monday, eager holidaymakers were finally allowed to get on a plane after the ban on non-essential overseas travel was loosened.
But for Peter Cookson, group managing director at Spear Travels, Boroughbridge, the green list was "a bit of a joke".
Current rules have placed 12 countries including Portugal, Iceland and Gibraltar on the green list, meaning travellers are required to take covid tests before they leave and before they return to the UK and again within two days of their arrival, but do not need to quarantine.
A further 173 countries are on the amber list, which has tighter restrictions. Travellers to these destinations must take an additional covid test on day eight after they arrive back and isolate at home for for 10 days.
For the travel industry to truly get back on its feet, Mr Cookson said the restrictions have to change as the expense of covid testing is discouraging people booking trips.
He has confidence that "pent-up demand" exists but has only received a "handful" of bookings for Portugal and none for amber-list countries.
Mr Cookson expects this low level of interest to continue while strict measures to prevent the spread of covid are in place. and said people are already re-booking their holidays for next year.
He said
0