Brexit deal will provide continuity for 2020 travel arrangements 

ABTA – The Travel Association is updating its advice for travellers in the run up to Brexit on 31 January. This latest advice highlights that the UK is now on track to enter a transition period at the end of the month meaning that all travel requirements and arrangements will remain the same until at least the end of December 2020.

This new advice replaces that previously given to reflect the government’s ‘Get Ready for Brexit’ campaign which spelt out how a ‘no-deal’ scenario would affect important areas such as passport validity, European Health Insurance Cards, driving licences, taking pets abroad and data roaming. 

ABTA research shows that nearly a third of people (31%¹)  are unsure about how Brexit will affect their travel plans and, since the General Election, hits to ABTA’s “Brexit advice for travellers” website page have increased by over 376% ² as Brits research their travel plans for the year ahead. 

Mark Tanzer, ABTA Chief Executive, says, “The UK is primed to enter a new Brexit phase from 31 January, when trade talks begin, and when it does nothing will change when it comes to travel. 

“This means that valid passports can still be used, EHIC cards will still be valid and the same gates can be used at border check points. People can continue to make their travel plans with confidence that things won’t change until at least the end of 2020.

“As the UK’s most trusted travel association ABTA has been actively providing advice to travellers throughout the Brexit process and will continue to do so as the longer term relationship with the EU becomes clearer.”

ABTA’s Brexit advice for travellers can be found at www.abta.com/brexit, and at the same time ABTA is communicating the message that Brits can continue to travel with confidence through a radio advertising and digital campaign until the end of January. 

¹ ABTA Holiday Habits report 2019. Survey of 2,043 consumers July 2019
² Month after (29,694) vs. month prior (6,233) to General Election
 

For further information, contact:
ABTA press office, press@abta.co.uk or 020 3117 0596
Jonathan Smith, Interim Head of PR and Media, jsmith@abta.co.uk or 020 3117 0514

Out of Hours:  Contact the Duty Press Officer via landline: 020 3693 0183
Web: www.abta.com
Twitter: @ABTAtravel

Notes to editors
Europe is the number one destination for UK travellers with over 58 million trips abroad with Spain, France, Italy, Germany and Greece the most popular countries to visit.

ABTA has been a trusted travel brand for over 65 years. Our purpose is to help our Members to grow their businesses successfully and sustainably, and to help their customers travel with confidence. 

The ABTA brand stands for support, protection and expertise. This means consumers have confidence in ABTA and a strong trust in ABTA Members. These qualities are core to us as they ensure that holidaymakers remain confident in the holiday products that they buy from our Members. 

We help our Members and their customers navigate through today's changing travel landscape by raising standards in the industry; offering schemes of financial protection; providing an independent complaints resolution service should something go wrong; giving guidance on issues from sustainability to health and safety and by presenting a united voice to government to ensure the industry and the public get a fair deal.

ABTA has more than 4,300 travel brands in Membership, providing a wide range of leisure and business travel services, with a combined annual UK turnover of £39 billion. For more details about what we do, what being an ABTA Member means and how we help the British public travel with confidence visit www.abta.com.