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ABTA calls for roadmap to restart international travel
ABTA has joined the fight against the mandatory 14-day quarantine and is calling for a roadmap to restart international travel
CEO, Mark Tanzer, who was part of a roundtable hosted by the Home Secretary last week, called for a coordinated plan and for the Government to urgently investigate travel corridors.
"We must restart international travel as soon as it is safe to do so, and businesses and customers would benefit from the Government outlining when this is likely to happen," he said.
"There are many livelihoods at stake, and bookings will only start to pick-up in earnest when people and businesses have a better idea as to what the Government’s plan is to open up the UK and access to international destinations.
"This is going to take a coordinated approach, and ABTA will continue to do whatever it takes to assist with this process on behalf of travel agents and tour operators across the UK who are desperate for a clearer direction for travel.
"Of course, safety must absolutely come first, which is why the Government also needs to set out clearly the relevant scientific advice and epidemiological factors informing decisions, including the quarantining policy before its review in three weeks."
In a letter to the Home Secretary, Tanzer reiterated the serious impact quarantining restrictions will have on customer demand for leisure and business trips.
He also highlighted the serious impact the measures will have on the UK economy.
ABTA said the Government must indicate its criteria for transitioning away from current Foreign Office advice against non-essential travel and urgently investigate travel corridors.
It also called for the publication of the scientific and epidemiological advice that underpin the quarantining policy and which will inform the review due at the end of June.
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Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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