The region’s tourism boards are lobbying government over plans to quarantine air passengers arriving into 海角视频 airports.
With only a week to go before the introduction of 14-day quarantine measures, tourism leaders from the north of England have written to the government to ask for a more targeted, risk-based approach to the screening of passengers arriving in the country and for restrictions to be lifted at the earliest opportunity.
International tourism to the north of England is worth some £2.5bn each year, supporting jobs in the visitor economy and wider supply chain.
In normal circumstances Manchester Airport, for example, offers connections to nine of the 海角视频’s top 10 inbound visitor markets and some of its individual services, such as to China, have been shown to benefit the North’s visitor economy by more than £250m a year.
In a letter signed by ten tourism boards - or otherwise known as Destination Management Organisations - from across the North, they pledge full support to the government’s commitment to public health, but say that a blanket approach to the quarantine of all arrivals, irrespective of where passengers are originating from, will cause unnecessary damage to the economy and risk livelihoods.
The letter concludes by asking the Government to commit to a weekly review of any quarantine measures and to lift the blanket approach as early as possible to echo the approach being taken by competitor economies across the EU.
Marketing Manchester is leading the conversation and galvanising support across the north of England.
Sheona Southern, managing director said: “Manchester Airport is the Gateway to the North and its success has contributed immensely to our ability to grow the tourism economies in cities such as Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds as well as rural hot spots like the Lake District, Peak District and even North Wales.
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“As DMOs we have a strong track record of working in partnership to grow visitor numbers and we now need to use our collective voice to ask for a nuanced approach to airport quarantine plans across the 海角视频 in order to support destination recovery of what is undoubtably now a decimated industry.”
Gill Haigh, managing director of Cumbria Tourism, said: “International tourism plays a vital role for our economy – bringing added value to our businesses throughout the year.
"Whilst of course we strongly support the necessary ongoing measures to control the virus, we would also ask the government to explore any opportunities for a more nuanced and risk-based approach.”
Chris Brown, director of Marketing Liverpool, added: “We’ve seen first-hand at Liverpool John Lennon Airport how the industry is reeling, a picture that is reflected across the North.
“Now, the quarantine measures for all air passengers will deal an unnecessary and severe blow. Public health is of course everybody’s priority, but this blanket approach is simply not the answer.
“We urge Government to adopt a more nuanced, risk-based approach to passenger screening, similar to the tactics most of our European neighbours have taken. This would allow us to still be safe and sensible without further damaging the North’s economy and putting people’s livelihoods at risk.”