Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

We need to get the travel industry moving again, UK PM Johnson says

Published 02/08/2021, 07:15
Updated 02/08/2021, 16:06
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Passengers walk at the Terminal 5 departures area at Heathrow Airport in London, Britain, June 10, 2021. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Passengers walk at the Terminal 5 departures area at Heathrow Airport in London, Britain, June 10, 2021. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

LONDON (Reuters) -British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday that he wanted to get the travel industry moving again with a simple user-friendly system to allow for trips abroad without importing new variants of the coronavirus.

"We need to get people, get the travel industry moving again," Johnson told reporters. "We want an approach that is as simple as we can possibly make it."

Britain has double vaccinated a higher proportion of its population against COVID-19 than most other countries, but the government has prevented travel to many destinations by imposing rules that the travel industry says are hobbling the economy.

Johnson's travel regulations have angered some of Britain's European allies, frustrated millions of sun-seeking Britons and brought warnings from airports, airlines and tour companies.

In a letter to Johnson that was leaked to media, finance minister Rishi Sunak called for an urgent easing of travel restrictions.

The Times newspaper reported that Britain planned to warn holidaymakers against visiting popular tourist destinations such as Spain because of concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.

Such a step could trigger an exodus of about a million British tourists already abroad, cause further damage to the travel sector and deal a new blow to southern Europe's summer tourist season.

A spokesperson for Britain's transport ministry declined to comment on The Times report, published on the day when rules were eased for double-vaccinated travellers from the United States and most of Europe.

Under rules to be reviewed on Thursday, double-vaccinated travellers can return without quarantining from countries rated "amber" on a "traffic-light" list assessing the COVID-19 risk.

Those returning from red-list countries - the most severe risk - must pay 1,750 pounds ($2,436) to spend 10 days in a hotel.

An amber watchlist was due to be signed off on Thursday but a split in the government could delay a decision, The Times said.

Citing the threat posed by the Beta coronavirus variant, England has maintained quarantine rules for double-vaccinated travellers from France, while scrapping the requirement for travellers from other medium-risk "amber" countries.

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Passengers walk at the Terminal 5 departures area at Heathrow Airport in London, Britain, June 10, 2021. REUTERS/Hannah McKay

France has complained, saying the bulk of its Beta variant cases come from the island of La Reunion in the Indian Ocean.

($1 = 0.7183 pounds)

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.