Coronavirus: Travel and hotel firms demand scrapping of quarantine plan
A rethink is urged of the "poorly thought-out" move, which it is warned will hit an industry that accounts for millions of jobs.
Thursday 28 May 2020 15:35, UK
Scores of travel and hotel businesses have called on the government to scrap its plans to force visitors to quarantine on arrival to the UK due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The usually fiercely competitive firms have joined together to demand a rethink of the "poorly thought-out" move, which they argue will hit tourism and likely make it harder for Britons travelling abroad.
It came as the chief executive of British Airways' owner also criticised the quarantine measure, and argued plans to help the airline industry recover had been "seriously set back" by politicians making negative comments about overseas travel this year.
People entering the UK from 8 June face a two-week isolation, with the threat of a £1,000 fine for those who breach the rules.
The restrictions are aimed at preventing a second peak of the disease being introduced by travellers.
But the measure has been criticised in a letter to the Home Secretary Priti Patel, signed by more than 70 travel and hotel bosses.
Accusing the government of being "woefully slow" in its support for the travel industry, they stress the need to switch "from protection to economic recovery before it is too late".
The letter states: "The very last thing the travel industry needs is a mandatory quarantine imposed on all arriving passengers which will deter foreign visitors from coming here, deter UK visitors from travelling abroad and, most likely, cause other countries to impose reciprocal quarantine requirements on British visitors, as France has already announced.
"Many people urged the government to impose quarantine regulations during the early phases of COVID-19. Instead, no action was taken and flights from infected countries were allowed to land, disgorging thousands of potentially affected passengers into the wider community."
The letter continues: "COVID-19 is now under control and we commend the government for its handling of what was an extraordinary and unprecedented situation.
"However, the economic cost of the government's action is yet to be seen, apart from the early indicators which paint a grim picture."
The group pointed out their companies employed "thousands of people in the UK" and that the tourism and travel sector accounted for almost four million jobs, or 11% of the country's workforce.
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Signatories include the heads of firms including the Ritz, Dorchester and Hyatt Regency London hotels, as well as tourism groups including Cookson Adventures and Original Travel.
The letter went on: "The government has done its best to suppress and control the invidious viral contagion but it should not, and must not, exceed its mandate.
"The people of this country do not wish to be prevented from travelling. Quite simply it is time to switch the emphasis from protection to economic recovery before it is too late."
George Morgan-Grenville, chief executive of tour operator Red Savannah, said: "Signatories to this letter are more used to competing ferociously but, on this issue, we are united.
"The quarantine plans are poorly thought-out, wholly detrimental to industry recovery and are more or less unworkable."
Cyril Ranque from the Expedia Group, was scathing about the quarantine plan.
He told Sky News' Ian King Live programme: "I think it's a terrible idea. It's the wrong way to look at the problem and to address it.
"I would focus much more on defining the protocols that allow people to travel internationally, making it safe - temperature testing at the airport, using a passport explaining that you have had the virus and were safe to travel, mandatory mask on the flight.
"Once we have those protocols agreed we can unlock international travel again.
"It's not only tourism that depends on international travel, but also the whole broader economy eco-system depends on people going cross-border.
"There's very few companies that can live on domestic business only."
Criticising the government's approach, he said: "They have been slow since the beginning and they continue to be slow and the measures that they are taking go against their own economy's interest."
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