WTTC SLAMS UK GOVERNMENT OVER NEW QUARANTINE MOVES
The World Travel and Tourism Council has issued a strongly worded statement, criticising the UK Government over its recent decision to impose quarantines on travellers entering the country from France, Holland and several other countries.
The organisation also said there had been no response from the Government to an open letter signed by over 100 of the world’s top travel business leaders.
“WTTC is deeply disappointed that thousands of British holidaymakers have had their holidays ruined, now the UK government has added more countries to its quarantine list, including key summer holidays destinations, France and Malta. While we agree public health should remain the top priority, this move will crush what little confidence there is left in the fragile Travel & Tourism sector,” said WTTC President & CEO, Gloria Guevara.
She continued, “More than 100 of the world’s major travel and global business leaders signed a WTTC letter sent to 10 of the world’s most powerful Heads of State, including Boris Johnson, calling for their leadership to coordinate the international response to save the Travel & Tourism sector and the global economy. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has led the positive responses we have received following our plea for urgent action for a range of measures including testing and tracing instead of quarantines. The UK clearly lags behind other countries which have shunned quarantines in favour of comprehensive programmes of testing for everyone departing and arriving back into their respective countries. International coordination and programme of testing for anyone who wants to go on holiday to help stop COVID-19 in its tracks are crucial in order to rescue three million jobs in the UK alone. It’s hard to avoid believing that the UK Government doesn’t want people to travel at all. This is not only damaging the UK economy, but also thousands of UK businesses, workers and households up and down the country who will continue to suffer if an alternative solution to quarantines isn’t implemented immediately.”
Photo – top of page – Copyright 2008 Diliff