The appointment of Sajid Javid as the new health secretary gives the trade a new lobbying opportunity as it builds on the success of last week’s Travel Day of Action.
Javid became health secretary on Saturday after his predecessor Matt Hancock resigned because he broke social distancing guidelines by kissing a colleague.
Sunvil managing director Chris Wright told a Travel Weekly webcast that the travel trade must “keep the pressure on” after the nationwide series of lobbying events, especially as it needs the quarantine requirement lifted for amber destinations.
“The appointment of the new health secretary is an ideal opportunity to get in there afresh,” he said.
“Sajid Javid is going to want to make his mark and be seen to be different to his predecessor.
“These are all opportunities where we can kick forward and keep the pressure on.”
The Conservative MP for Bromsgrove, Javid was previously chancellor of the exchequer from July 2019 to February 2020, and has also served as home secretary and culture secretary, among other ministerial roles.
Wright added: “We’ve been talking to various MPs over the weekend, picking up on points that [transport secretary] Grant Shapps said on Friday around the data [being] available on [the government] website. And it’s not.
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“Countries do feel that they’re being duped…‘you need to do this and then they get there’ and then it changes direction again.”
He also warned about the home secretary Priti Patel, saying she “doesn’t want the borders being pounded by huge amounts of arrivals”.
“Everybody seems to have their own agenda. We [must] push forward now to fight from all angles to make sure that our voices are heard,” he said.
“We don’t let up the pressure just because a few destinations have been put on that green list.
“Challenge every time there’s an untruth that comes out which I know, with the current government, is a 24/7 job.”
He said many of Sunvil’s older clients were wary of holidays to amber destinations because the government had advised against it – even though travelling to such countries is legal.
Furthermore, many older customers don’t want to self-isolate on their return so Sunvil is continuing to lobby for the urgent easing of amber rules.
Wright also commented on the situation with European countries which may introduce quarantine rules on arrivals from the UK – pointing out how Madeira will not expect non-vaccinated travellers to quarantine when it moves to the green watchlist from Wednesday (June 30).
Portugal has announced that visitors from the UK will be required to quarantine if they have not received both doses of a recognised Covid vaccine.
“Destinations are looking at it very pragmatically at the moment and seeing what they can do to still facilitate travel as easy as possible while protecting their own citizens,” he said.
He said that many passengers on flights arriving in Greece recently have been taking rapid antigen tests in the airport terminal, with results available in 10 minutes.
“Destinations are probably going to go down that route, where more and more people are going to be tested on arrival in a quick and seamless process that’s not really affecting anybody,” he said.
“It is going to avoid these quarantine scenarios that we’ve seen in mainland Portugal.”