Kuoni boss Derek Jones has called on the government to scrap PCR testing requirements for green list arrivals following Boris Johnson’s comments on the international travel unlock on Monday (5 July).
The prime minister said transport secretary Grant Shapps will provide an update on the plans to allow fully vaccinated travellers to avoid quarantine upon arrival in the UK from a country on the amber list later this week.
Jones, chief executive of Der Touristik UK, said the country "needs" to see the removal of testing for Brits arriving from countries on the green list.
From 19th July we need to see the removal of PCR testing for travellers arriving from Green countries and the removal of quarantine for double vaccinated travellers arriving from Amber countries.
— Derek Jones (@Degsy_DJ) July 6, 2021
If vaccination is working let’s not leave international travel behind.@grantshapps
"From 19 July we need to see the removal of PCR testing for travellers arriving from green countries and the removal of quarantine for double vaccinated travellers arriving from amber countries," he added. "If vaccination is working let’s not leave international travel behind."
Paul Charles, chief executive of The PC Agency, backed the calls by urging the government to remove pre-departure testing requirements for green list holidays.
He also called for only one pre-departure test to be taken for amber holidays and the hotel quarantine for red list arrivals to be reduced to seven days.
On testing, we need to see the following if fully-jabbed:
— Paul Charles (@PPaulCharles) July 5, 2021
Green - no Pre-departure test and no test once in UK
Amber - one Pre-Departure test and just one PCR test in UK on day 2
Red - hotel quarantine reduced to 7 days
Testing has to be simplified to encourage bookings.
Meanwhile, Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership, warned that although enabling fully vaccinated Brits travel without isolating on return was "a game changer", the government must align its policy with Foreign Office travel advice, "otherwise it’s just playing lip service."
She added: "The need for tailored financial support for a sector still under heavy restrictions has never been greater. There is no logical argument for a sector decimated and unable to trade its way through to recovery, regardless of what is allowed this summer."
The need for tailored financial support for a sector still under heavy restrictions has never been greater. There is no logical argument for a sector decimated and unable to trade its way through to recovery, regardless of what is allowed this summer #speakupfortravel
— Julia Lo Bue-Said (@jlo_said) July 5, 2021
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