Ferry operator Brittany Ferries has described France’s introduction of tougher restrictions on people travelling to the country from the 海角视频 as a “hammer blow” to its Christmas season.
The office of French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced the new rules citing the 海角视频 Government’s own warning of a “tidal wave” of cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 in Britain.
From midnight on Friday, people arriving from the 海角视频 will be required to show a negative Covid test that is less than 24 hours old, to test again upon arrival and self-isolate for seven days, although that can be reduced to 48 hours if the second test is negative.
Tourism and business trips will be limited and French travellers are being dissuaded from visiting the 海角视频. Travellers will need a “compelling reason” to travel to or from the 海角视频, though that does not apply to French nationals and their spouses and children.
The new measures will apply to everyone regardless of vaccination status.
French government spokesman Gabriel Attal said the rules aimed to slow down the arrival of Omicron cases in France and allow the country’s booster campaign to advance.
A spokesman for Brittany Ferries, which has its 海角视频 headquarters in Plymouth, said: “These new measures are a hammer blow to our Christmas season.
“In the context of an Omicron variant that is passing through the French population as it is in the 海角视频, further border controls seem as unnecessary as they are unwelcome.”
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The cross channel operator said in October it had received a 45m-euro bailout from the French government to help it recover from losses caused by Covid-related travel restrictions.
The company saw revenue sink by 267m euros as the pandemic slashed passenger numbers to 752,102 in 2020 from 2,498,354 in 2019.
The new French measures comes amid mounting concerns over the Omicron variant in the 海角视频, where daily confirmed Covid-19 cases reaching a record high of 78,610 new cases on Wednesday (December 15).
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said hauliers will be exempt from the new rules.
Health minister Gillian Keegan said she has had to cancel a skiing trip to France over Christmas due to the rising threat of Omicron.
Asked on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme for her reaction to the French travel restrictions, she said: “My first thought is ‘I’m glad that I cancelled my trip to France’, because that’s where I was supposed to go for Christmas.
“But, of course, every government is dealing with Omicron, every government has to make their decisions and has their response to it. It is obviously going to alter people’s plans, which is very unfortunate.”
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Mark Tanzer, chief executive of travel trade association Abta, has warned of company failures and job losses if the government does not "bring forward" more support for the industry.
“The winter sports and school travel markets are particularly exposed," he said.
“The travel and tourism sector has had little chance to generate income since early 2020 and is now faced with another wave of cancellations.”
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