I’m not trying to suggest that the Report of the Global Travel Taskforce for the safe return to international travel is everybody’s bedtime reading but certainly for those of us in the travel industry, it has been long awaited.
What does the report tell us?
Whilst this may not be considered as a weighty document by some, it does help to signpost the Government’s intention to allow us to go on holidays again as soon as it is considered safe to do so.
Be in no doubt, there is important detail in this report, and I would encourage you to contact me to discuss your next holiday before you plan or book anything.
In this article, I will share a small but important sample of the content.
The Traffic Lights system
You have probably already heard that there is now a Traffic Lights system being implemented.
So, what are the key elements of the Global Travel Taskforce’s Traffic Lights system for international travel?
The requirements for green, amber and red list countries are confirmed as follows:
Green: Arrivals will need to take a pre-departure test as well as a PCR test on or before day 2 of their arrival back into the UK but will not need to quarantine on return (unless they receive a positive result) or take any additional tests, halving the cost of tests on their return from holiday.
Amber: Arrivals will need to quarantine for a period of 10 days and take a pre-departure test, a PCR test on day 2 and day 8 with the option for Test to Release on day 5 to end self-isolation early.
Red: Arrivals will be subject to restrictions currently in place for ‘red list’ countries which includes a 10-day stay in a managed quarantine hotel, pre-departure testing and PCR testing on day 2 and 8
Key Factors
Key factors in the assessment of countries will include the percentage of the population that have been vaccinated, the rate of infection, the prevalence of variants of concern and the country’s access to reliable scientific data and genomic sequencing.
We are now eagerly awaiting the list of countries in each of the Traffic Lights categories. This is expected during early May in preparation for, hopefully the start of international travel from the 17th May.
Holiday travel is coming back
Holiday travel is on the way back. My aim is to be at the forefront of advising my clients how to enjoy a safe holiday experience they will remember for all the right reasons. Please get in contact if you would like to know more.
I look forward to hearing from you.
As a Personal Travel Consultant, I am able to organise fantastic holidays all over the world that are completely ABTA and ATOL protected. Also being part of the Hays Travel Group, I have the backing and resource of the largest independent travel group in the UK – meaning great service and prices!