Include travel in lockdown escape plan, industry implores PM

Tour operator heavyweights have put their names to an ABTA-led open letter to Boris Johnson as he prepares to unveil the Government’s much-anticipated pathway out of lockdown.

In yet another public cry for help, Jet2, TUI, easyJet holidays and Kuoni joined industry associations in urging the Prime Minister to use Monday’s pivotal briefing to give hope to the battered travel industry.

But in a clash of objectives with the recently-formed Save Our Summer lobby group – which is competing for the Government’s attention with ABTA’s Save Future Travel Coalition – it stopped short of demanding a start date for international travel.

Instead, the open letter implores Mr Johnson not to wait until the vaccination roll out is complete before relaxing travel restrictions, and calls for the introduction of vaccine certificates to kick-start international tourism.

It also requested the Foreign Office return to its pre-Covid regional policy of travel advice rather than the now-favoured blanket countrywide warnings.

In a pointedly different stance to Save Our Summer, which has the backing of several hundred businesses, ABTA said it recognised that a start date for international travel was impossible to call.

"We know that it is too early to put a specific date on the return to international travel, and that there will be a need for flexibility in the approach," it told Mr Johnson. "But what we need are some principles for restarting travel – recognising that the return to normal life will never be entirely risk-free."

That contrasts sharply from the hardline approach taken by Save Our Summer which has insisted travel should resume on 1 May.

The differing aims from two separate travel lobby groups has irked some senior industry figures who believe it has created confusion and led to disjointed and muddled lobbying messages.

Kuoni Managing Director Derek Jones said last week that Save Our Summer’s aims, while well-intentioned, ‘invited criticism’.

Observers feel that setting a restart date for international travel is fanciful, with the Government more concerned at getting kids back to school and ensuring the vaccination roll-out continues at pace. 

In its own submission to Boris Johnson, Save Our Summer, which is speaheaded by PR consultant Paul Charles, described the 1 May date as ‘rational, reasonable and, most importantly, responsible’, and which has the backing of 814 businesses.

The ABTA letter, signed by a host of travel bodies in addition to tour operators, tells the PM: "With the vaccine rollout now progressing well, and as you look to how the lockdown can be eased, we ask you to provide a roadmap to get people travelling again this summer. 

"In particular the Government should recognise that we cannot wait for the full rollout of the vaccination programme before people start to travel again, and that not everyone can or will want to be vaccinated, so a practical and cost-effective testing regime will be critical. 

"[It should also] facilitate travel through a recognised vaccine certificate to enable restrictions to be relaxed for some travellers [and] return Foreign Office travel advice on COVID-19 to a regional basis, as opposed to a whole country level, and ensure the advice focuses on the risk to people in destinations."

It also called for a review to existing Government advice against travel in specific sectors – such as school travel – ‘in light of the improving medical situation and vaccine rollout’.

The letter also reiterated the need for tailored financial help.  

"We also know that the recovery of travel is likely to be gradual, which will require the maintenance of flexible furlough support throughout the summer season, as well as other regulatory alleviations and support measures to help businesses meet their fixed costs," Mr Johnson was told.

"We urge you to use your announcement on 22 February to provide a route out of the crisis for the travel industry, to help safeguard the livelihoods of the hundreds of thousands of people employed in the sector and rebuild the £80bn contribution the sector makes to the UK economy."

By Steve Jones, Contrubuting Editor (UK)