24 Jun
2021

ABTA responds to Government review of the traffic light lists

In response to this evening's review of the traffic light lists, ABTA Chief Executive, Mark Tanzer, said:

“Every addition to the green list is welcome, but in reality – with several of these popular holiday destinations being placed on the green watchlist - this will not on its own deliver the meaningful restart of international travel that the industry desperately needs.

“If the Government is going to continue to place such tight constraints on the industry’s ability to trade, we need them to commit to a package of tailored financial support for the sector, which recognises that the travel industry’s recovery will be slower than that in other sectors of the economy. Travel companies are facing increased furlough and business rates costs next week and - with travel to the most popular holiday destinations still largely restricted – they will simply not have the money to do so.

“We’re glad to hear that the Government intends to remove quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated travellers travelling to amber countries, and this needs to be introduced as quickly as possible. Other countries are already doing this and we are now entering the peak summer season – crucial weeks which represent two-thirds of travel companies’ income – with thousands of businesses and livelihoods dependent on getting more people travelling safely as soon as possible.”