Tourism chiefs call on Javid to ease travel restrictions

TOURISM and aviation bosses have called on new Health Secretary Sajid Javid to throw businesses a lifeline by easing travel restrictions.

In a letter written by Tim Alderslade, the head of trade body Airlines UK, they urged the Cabinet Minister to expand the green list of foreign countries to which tourists can travel without having to quarantine on their return.

The letter noted that the UK is the third most internationally connected country in the world, and that the travel industry generates about £53bn in domestic spending each year.

“The pandemic has been a catastrophe for our industry and the wider economy,” it said.

It added that international travel sustained 1.5 million jobs before the pandemic, but warned “hundreds of thousands of jobs have now been lost, and many more remain at risk”.

The 14 signatories to the letter included chief executive of the Association of British Travel Agents Mark Tanzer, director of Tourism Alliance Kurt Janson, as well as Prospect union general secretary Mike Clancy and Unite union assistant general secretary Diana Holland.

The industry leaders said the Government must expand the green list in line with advice from its advisory body, the Global Travel Taskforce.

The letter also said the Government must make restrictions “more proportionate, whilst keeping a strong red list to guard against variants”.

The signatories also called for more financial support, including the extension of the furlough scheme.