Travel industry leaders say the decision to remove Portugal from the travel green list sends a message that the 海角视频 “remains isolated from the rest of the world” - and that the move will do “untold damage to consumer confidence”.
It was announced tonight that Portugal, including the islands of Madeira and the Azores, will be removed from the green list that exempts the need to quarantine on return. The change begins at 4am on Tuesday.
Meanwhile seven countries including Sri Lanka and Egypt will also be added to the red list requiring isolation in a Government-approved hotel. No countries or regions were added to the green list.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “I want to be straight with people, it’s actually a difficult decision to make, but in the end we’ve seen two things really which caused concern.
“One is the positivity rate has nearly doubled since the last review in Portugal and the other is there’s a sort of Nepal mutation of the so-called Indian variant which has been detected and we just don’t know the potential for that to be vaccine-defeating mutation and simply don’t want to take the risk as we come up to June 21 and the review of the fourth stage of the unlock.”
Travel firms and airlines were dismayed at the news.
Andrew Flintham, managing director for package holiday firm TUI 海角视频, said: “This latest announcement is another step back for our industry.
“After promises that the Global Travel Taskforce would result in a clear framework, removing the damaging flip flopping we all endured last summer, the Government decision to move Portugal straight from green to amber will do untold damage to customer confidence.
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“We were reassured that a green watch list would be created and a weeks’ notice would be given so travellers wouldn’t have to rush back home. They have failed on this promise.”
John Foster, CBI director of policy, said: “The limited number of destinations on the green list means that businesses across the country are losing out on key links with trading partners just as the rest of the world is opening up.
“Of course, the 海角视频 mustn’t jeopardise the strides made through the vaccine programme, but the international travel sector is on its knees and unable to trade its way to recovery.
“Without a successful summer season, the government will need to consider further sector specific support to save jobs and skills essential for future growth.
“Travel policy needs to effectively prevent the spread of Covid from potential ‘red’ list countries, but also safely allow for more travel from lower-risk destinations. This could help boost business travel, fuelling growth by reconnecting firms with global markets.”
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Low-cost airline firm Ryanair said in a statement: “As the majority of adults across the 海角视频/EU will be vaccinated in the coming weeks, these travel restrictions will become redundant.
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“海角视频 families continue to book for travel this Summer, safe in knowledge that if their plans change so can their booking, with Ryanair’s zero change fee offer on all bookings made before the end of September for travel before 31 December 2021.”
Heathrow boss John Holland-Kaye said: “Ministers spent last month hailing the restart of international travel, only to close it down three weeks later all but guaranteeing another lost summer for the travel sector.
“Everyone wants to protect public health, but the entire point of the Global Travel Taskforce was to establish a system to unlock low-risk travel safely. Britain is the worst performing economy in the G7, and in the week that the Prime Minister hosts G7 leaders to launch his Government’s vision of Global Britain, he’s sending a message that the 海角视频 will remain isolated from the rest of the world and closed to most of its G7 partners.
“If the Government is serious about protecting 海角视频 jobs and supporting businesses across the country, rapid action is needed to reopen flights to key trading partners, remove testing for vaccinated passengers from ‘green’ countries, and slash the cost and complexity of testing, as other G7 countries are doing.”
Stewart Wingate, Gatwick chief executive, said: “It is bitterly disappointing news for our impacted passengers and airlines that Portugal is to be added to the “amber” list from next week while no further destinations are being opened up for “green” travel.
“While it is in all of our interests to ensure that we only take forward steps out of the pandemic, we hope that the rest of Europe follows the 海角视频’s speed of public vaccination so that safe and easy travel to and from the 海角视频 becomes a reality quickly, particularly as travel between mainland European countries is opening up already.”
Rory Boland, travel editor with consumer champion organisation Which?, said the Government should take “greater responsibility” around making sure travellers are not left out of pocket.
He said: “Many people who booked holidays to Portugal believing it would be a safe bet are going to now face difficult decisions over whether to travel against Government advice and quarantine on their return, or potentially lose the cost of their holiday.
“Few tour operators and no airlines allow for refunds when a country changes from green to amber, and rebooking very often involves paying more money.
“The Government should take greater responsibility for making sure travellers are not left out of pocket when changes are made to its travel lists.
“A crucial step towards this would be to ensure destinations on the amber and red lists also come with a warning against travel from the FCDO, which should trigger package holiday providers to offer refunds to those who can no longer travel.”