The government is being urged to show transparency over the quarantine decision-making process after restrictions were imposed on travel to Spain.
The call came from the Business Travel Association as it emerged that corporate travel is being affected as well as the leisure sector.
Seven out of ten travel management companies report that the Spanish quarantine is negatively impacting the business travel industry’s recovery.
The BTA has written to transport secretary Grant Shapps with a plea to help restore corporate confidence.
BTA chief executive Clive Wratten revealed the knock-on effect of the weekend’s Spanish quarantine announcement on business travellers’ confidence in going abroad.
He said: “The decision to reintroduce the quarantine with no warning means that many business people are unlikely to travel this year.
“This is a mortal blow for our industry. Whilst it was the right decision for our nation’s health, we need to work with the government to help corporate travellers make informed choices.”
The BTA has called on the Department for Transport to provide “urgent clarity” on how decisions to impose quarantine are made.
It says answers to the following four questions are critical:
- What level of transmission triggers the imposition of quarantine?
- What factors other than transmission rate are taken into account?
- How will government decide to remove the quarantine?
- How often will reviews take place?
Wratten said: “This vital information will enable travel management companies to anticipate and prepare for future changes to travel advice.
“Our members can then provide better counsel to the British businesses they serve, restoring confidence in business travel.”
He added: “Since March, business travel has fallen by 90%.
“If this trend continues throughout 2020, business travel’s contribution to GDP will fall by £150 billion, whilst nearly 10,000 jobs in our sector will disappear forever.”