Trade groups call for EU travel policy alignment

Saturday, 23 Nov, 2021 0

Travel industry groups across Europe are urging member states to align and coordinate in their responses to the current Covid situation sweeping across Europe.

A broad group of travel and tourism stakeholders called on governments to better coordinate and their heath and travel policy responses to avoid re-imposing restrictions.

It cites the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), which states that in the current situation, travel restrictions are ineffective in reducing virus transmission, hospitalisations, or deaths.

They claim limiting border crossings would indeed not carry any public health benefit.

Up to 900,000 jobs could be lost across the EU’s tourism sector this year if travel restrictions are re-imposed this winter, citing WTTC data.

It says European tourism cannot function with ‘inconsistent and constantly changing national approaches.’

"Coordination is the only solution to protect the sector from the effects of prolonged uncertainty in Europe."

The lobby groups are calling for a number of measures including move towards an individual risk-based approach, rather than the current country-to-country approach.

Member states should urgently adopt a common and fully aligned approach on the eligibility as well as timing of booster doses.

The groups, made up of Airlines for Europe, CLIA, WTTC, European Travel Commission and others, also want national governments to support the full digitalisation of the verification process by providing a simple ‘okay to travel’ message as part of the online check-in process.

TravelMole Editorial Team

Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.

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