Trailfinders founder Sir Micheal Gooley has joined industry calls for the abolition of “futile” travel Covid tests.
He wants to see the end of tests before return and day 2 tests after arrival back in the UK.
In a new blog, the chairman of Trailfinders said: “We can be hopeful that January 3 will see the end of the test before return and the end of the ‘day 2’ test on return.
“Given most travellers are returning home from countries with a far lower incidence of Covid, these are futile and have done nothing to contain Covid while causing untold grief and collateral damage yet to be measured.”
He added: “Trailfinders’ UK staff travel have seen some 20,000 nights spent abroad since the outbreak of the pandemic, with just 3 mild cases of Covid caught whilst abroad.
“The test before return and the bulk of the tests we do within the UK are lateral flows with quick responses. Why is the day 2 test a PCR? These take a day or more to get results and it can be several days for postal tests, especially when Bank Holidays feature.
“Positive lateral flow tests in the UK require an NHS PCR test is taken, which can then be sequenced.
“However, only a tiny minority of PCR tests are sequenced and with these results taking several days (at best), they haven’t arrived in time to stop the arrival of any variant to date.
“Indeed the Omicron variant was alerted by South African doctors observing different symptoms. Even ‘zero Covid’ countries have not kept the last two strains out.
“We are hopeful both the lateral flow before flying home and the ‘day 2’ PCR will be scrapped – but at the very least the day 2 test should be made an instant lateral flow.”
And in his latest blog, he said: “Going on holiday is straightforward, getting home is where the admin currently kicks in.”
Advantage Travel Partnership chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said tweeted: “It’s becoming increasingly clear that onerous travel restrictions, including expensive testing, are no longer necessary as Omicron becomes the dominant variant.
“Travel agents have been battered and run down for months and with cash fast running out financial support is critical.”
Cabinet minister Stephen Barclay told the BBC that Chancellor Rishi Sunak had met business leaders who are calling for more financial support on Monday evening. The government would “say more about this later today”.