Airport arrival halls âbreeding ground for infectionâ: MPs say restrictions on foreign holidays should be maintained
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) claimed the importation of new variants could âlead to further lockdowns, and inevitably, further loss of lifeâ.
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MPs are warning that restrictions on foreign holidays should be maintained to protect the UK from Covid-19 variants.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Coronavirus urged the Government to “discourage all international leisure travel”.
But a travel firm boss said there has been “great progress” in countries such as Portugal and Spain in preparing for the return of holidaymakers.
Thomas Cook chief executive Alan French said he expects most popular destinations, particularly in Europe, to be open to UK holidaymakers.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “When the holidays proper start at the end of June, we are expecting most of the countries that the UK goes on holiday to – Europe particularly – to be open.
“We are expecting Portugal, Spain, Greece, Croatia and so forth to be open, it would be nice if Turkey was open.
Last modified on Mon 3 May 2021 05.12 EDT
Holidays abroad should be discouraged even once legal, a cross-party group of MPs have said as part of a suite of recommendations to prevent a third wave of coronavirus and further lockdowns.
Under the UK government’s roadmap to relax coronavirus restrictions, international travel for leisure purposes could resume from 17 May.
Ministers have confirmed that a traffic light system is to be put in place in which countries will be added to green, amber and red lists, with different rules regarding issues such as quarantine of returning travellers for each list.
On Sunday the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, told the BBC’s Andrew Marr show that details of the traffic light system were “coming shortly”.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Coronavirus urged the Government to “discourage all international leisure travel”.
But a travel firm boss said there has been “great progress” in countries such as Portugal and Spain in preparing for the return of holidaymakers.
Thomas Cook chief executive Alan French said he expects most popular destinations, particularly in Europe, to be open to UK holidaymakers.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “When the holidays proper start at the end of June, we are expecting most of the countries that the UK goes on holiday to – Europe particularly – to be open.
“We are expecting Portugal, Spain, Greece, Croatia and so forth to be open, it would be nice if Turkey was open.