Standardise Covid practice across Europe, says lobby group

The European Tourism Manifesto alliance has called on member states “to urgently agree on harmonised travel restrictions and ensure swift implementation”.

The alliance said the EU had improved coordination on cross-border travel and restored the integrity of the Schengen area, but that more was needed.

“In the wake of an expected dramatic economic downturn, it is crucial that travel within the EU and the wider European area (including EEA, UK and Switzerland) be carefully and quickly restored. In addition, international coordination to re-establish transatlantic travel would provide a vital boost to the travel and tourism sector,” it said.

It added: “While many Europeans were keen to travel again during the summer, the inconsistent and ever-changing border restrictions along with confusion about quarantine and test requirements, caused frustration for both businesses and travellers, deterring booking and damaging materialisation for both leisure and business travel.”

Among measures it advocates are:

• Replacing the need for quarantine of travellers with cost-effective testing and tracing.
• Avoiding blanket restrictions to free movement by implementing more targeted measures limited in geographical scope.
• Avoiding travel restrictions on passengers in transit.
• Agreeing common rules for requesting pre-travel Covid-19 negative test results where needed.
• *Ensuring contact tracing apps work across the EU and the harmonization of Passenger Locator Forms.

It added: “Such an approach will help rebuild traveller confidence and help the sector in its slow recovery, protecting millions of livelihoods, jobs, and enterprises.

“Harmonising the inconsistent patchwork of Covid-19 rules and travel advice in Europe could lead to an increase in travellers by as much as 27%, recreating 10 million jobs in travel and tourism across Europe.”