• Government should reintroduce islands policy for international travel
• A regional approach needed to countries with large land mass
• Coordination between Foreign Travel Advice and traffic light system essential

Leading travel trade bodies, ABTA and Airlines UK, have written to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office on the need for clarity around the future approach to Foreign Travel Advice. 

In their joint letter to Nigel Adams, Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, the travel bodies say it is critically important that the Government reinstate the islands policy that was in place last summer, and that careful consideration be given to how this can be built upon, with further regionalisation of advice within mainland areas where health data can be relied upon. 

Infection rates can vary between mainland and islands. When international travel reopened last year the Government removed its advice against all but essential travel to some islands when it was still in place for the mainland; for example, the advice was lifted for the Canary Islands but still in place for mainland Spain. This allowed for a risk-managed approach to overseas travel, and the bodies argue the same process should be adopted as we look ahead to restarting travel this year. 

They also say that a similar approach needs to be taken for countries with large land mass where regional health data is available. Previously, advice against all but essential travel for COVID-19 applied to whole countries. This meant that the Government was advising against all but essential travel to countries such as the US, despite there being significant variation in infection rates across states. Adopting a more sophisticated approach to Travel Advice, which applies a regional assessment of risk, would be more pragmatic and help to support vital trade links, such transatlantic connectivity with the US and Canada. 

The letter also says that the industry has consistently recognised throughout the COVID-19 crisis that public health should be the overriding priority and been supportive of the FCDO continuing to use Travel Advice to advise UK nationals against non-essential travel where the risk to UK nationals related to COVID-19 is assessed to be unacceptably high. However, the letter says, these decisions need be taken based on clear and transparent criteria relating to destination risk and not used to control risk of reimportation of the virus (which will be managed separately under the Department for Transport’s traffic light system) and be consistent with the wider travel policy as set out by the GTT report.

Mark Tanzer, Chief Executive of ABTA – The Travel Association said:

“Protecting public health must be the main priority for the Government which is why a risk managed approach to returning to international travel is really important. Reintroducing the islands policy and adopting a regional approach to travel advice for large countries, which is informed by the health data around infection and vaccination rates, is a risk-based and pragmatic way of opening up international travel. It would help to enable the safe return of travel to more destinations while continuing to manage the risk to individuals.” 

Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive of Airlines UK said:
“We’re waiting to hear more from the Government on the traffic light system, but we also need clarity on the use of Foreign Office Travel Advice. That advice needs to be used for its intended purpose, to assess the risk to individuals travelling to a particular destination, and it should also be consistent and coordinated with the traffic light system – providing clarity for the industry and travellers.”

About ABTA
ABTA has been a trusted travel brand for 70 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.

About Airlines UK
Airlines UK is the trade body for UK registered airlines, with members representing all sectors of the industry. We work with governments, regulators and legislators to promote the interests of UK airlines, and with organisations across the sector to encourage long-term and sustainable growth in aviation.