End confusion over where it’s best to fly, plead travel leaders

TRAVEL industry leaders are demanding clarity over which countries tourists can jet off to this summer.

Confusion over two separate lists of lower-risk destinations unveiled by the Government on Friday have left holidaymakers scratching their heads.

The Department forTransport published a “travel corridor” list of 59 countries and 14 overseas territories on Friday.

High-risk countries such as the US did not make the cut.

But many of the countries on the list still have certain travel restrictions in place, requiring visitors to quarantine. The Foreign Office also published a

list of 67 countries and territories exempt from its advice against all non-essential travel.

Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency and part of the Quash Quarantine campaign group, said the system was too confusing.

He said: “There’s a lot more that needs to be done. There needs to be one list that people can follow, that clearly sets out which countries actually are accessible without having to quarantine.

“Not everybody books through a travel agent or a tour operator, some book directly.

“Consumers need a clear list for them to understand.”

Quash Quarantine has campaigned for weeks for the

Government to drop damaging blanket quarantine measures.

Mr Charles said the group was pleased with progress but would prefer a system of airport testing instead of selective quarantine rules. He also said delays in sorting out which countries would be exempt had done irreversible damage.

He added: “The quarantine measures themselves stopped

people booking both from the UK to leave, and visitors to the UK. The sector has been badly affected by coronavirus.

“There does need to be a package of measures from the Chancellor. It’s not a sector you can switch back on overnight. The Government needs to provide ongoing assistance.”

Geoffrey Kent, founder of travel company Abercrombie & Kent, said the relaxing of quarantine

rules for some countries had put the industry “back on the road to recovery”.

But he agreed more would help consumers.

He said: “Lifting of travel restrictions is the lifeline the UK economy needs right now.

The Foreign Office said decisions on travel advice and border measure exemptions were made separately and based on a range of factors. clarity