Ministers are being urged to engage with the outbound tourism industry to create a “long-term, practical plan” to help rebuild consumer confidence amid the Covid-19 crisis.
The Travel Network Group, which represents more than 1,000 travel agent members across the UK, is calling on the government to consider alternative measures, such as regional quarantines, testing at airports and track and trace, instead of blanket countrywide restrictions imposed at short notice.
The independent agency group is preparing communications and guidance for its 1,000-plus members to provide assistance around the impact of the latest travel restrictions.
This will include lobbying materials which will enable them to request support from their local MP.
The Travel Network Group chief executive Gary Lewis said the latest government quarantine update, which adds Croatia and Austria to a growing list of countries popular with British holidaymakers, is “another blow to consumer confidence and further setback to the travel industry which is fighting hard to get back on its feet”.
He added: “We understand that public health must be paramount but it is clear that we will be dealing with the pandemic for some time to come, so long-term, practical steps need to be made to ensure that people can travel for leisure and business safely and confidently again.
“There are measures we have seen being used successfully overseas – like track and trace, testing at airports and local quarantines – which we urge the government to consider in place of national-level quarantines and short-notice travel restrictions.
“Portugal being added to the travel corridors list is positive news, however we need all these measures put in place to allow for safe travel.”