The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has written to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to warn of a potential £639 million daily loss if international travel remains largely off limits in July.
The global tourism body additionally says 218,000 jobs are at serious risk of being lost if travel continues to be heavily restricted over the summer.
Ahead of the Travel Day of Action – which will see the UK’s travel industry unite tomorrow and lobby government for the safe and swift return of travel – the WTTC has urged the government to “unlock the doors to international travel to avoid inflicting severe long-term damage on the country’s economy, and to prevent putting at risk the competitiveness of the UK’s travel and tourism sector”.
The letter to Boris Johnson urged the government to take advantage of the UK’s highly successful vaccine rollout to “allow the resumption of safe international travel and reactivate the economy”.
Virginia Messina, senior vice president WTTC, said: “If international travel remains off limits for the whole of July, WTTC research has shown that every day, the UK would lose a staggering £639 million, severely delaying the UK’s economic recovery and competitiveness.
“Stalling the resumption of international travel could cost the country dearly. We simply can’t afford any further delay. We are running out of time and money, with many more businesses in danger of going bust, which would result in more jobs losses.”
The letter outlined four key steps the WTTC would like to see the government take by June 28 when its green list of travel destinations is expected to be updated:
• Allow fully vaccinated citizens to travel freely without quarantine, both inbound and outbound, and to visit countries with similar vaccination levels and low infection rates.
• Remove PCR testing requirements from countries on the green list or replace it with rapid tests.
• Require only one test for those travelling from countries on the amber list of travel destinations.
• Set a date to reopen international travel – to be announced on 24 June and implemented by 19 July, in line with the final unlocking of social measures in England.
The BTN Group, incorporating Business Travel News and BTN Europe, are pleased to support the Save Future Travel Coalition and Travel Day of Action on 23 June.