The government should pick up the tab for “hugely expensive and unnecessary” PCR tests for fully jabbed citizens, which are deterring people from travelling, according to a leading trade body.
The call from the World Travel and Tourism Council follows health secretary Sajid Javid requesting the Competition and Markets Authority step in to investigate “excessive” pricing and “exploitative practices” among PCR Covid test firms amid reports of vast differences paid by travellers for PCR tests by different companies.
The cost of PCR tests varies between providers, with the average costing around £75. However, some firms are offering express PCR test results within 90 minutes at a cost of up to £400, making UK PCR tests among the costliest in Europe – partly due to the 20 per cent VAT charge applied on top.
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Comment: Covid testing for travel can be cheaper
Genomic sequencing data from PCR tests is harvested by the government to rapidly identify variants of concern, understand transmission and slow the spread, but the WTTC is challenging why consumers should have to pay for this.
If the government refuses to pick up the bill for PCR tests, it should at the very least replace the need for PCR day two tests from green and amber countries with affordable and effective antigen tests for fully vaccinated travellers. As in other countries, only those testing positive should need to take a PCR test.
WTTC acting chief executive Virginia Messina said: “For many people – especially families and small businesses on a budget – the crippling added cost of the unnecessary PCR tests makes the difference between being able to travel or not.
“It’s clear that many British adults simply can’t afford to travel overseas at all if they have to pay the excessive cost of PCR tests.
“More affordable antigen tests, with PCR tests for those who do test positive, will help keep travellers safe and make taking a trip overseas within the budget of most people.
“But if the government wants extra information for genomic sequencing – they should pay for it. If they don’t pay, then consumers will vote with their feet and avoid international travel altogether, further damaging the already struggling UK travel and tourism sector.
“At the very least, we support the investigation by the CMA to look into the excessive pricing of PCR tests which is deterring the revival of international travel.
“Unless the government sees sense and accepts the financial responsibility for PCR tests for the fully vaccinated, WTTC fears the UK Travel & Tourism sector is going to continue to buckle while demand for travel remains depressed.”
The WTTC last week called on the government to abandon the confusing traffic light system and replace it with green and red list categories.
More: Call for competition probe into ‘excessive’ Covid travel testing costs