LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday that it is too early to say whether international summer holidays can continue this year, a comment suggesting that the planned reopening of international travel could be postponed to in addition to May 17th.
The British are among the most spending tourists in Europe, so the fortunes of the continent’s summer season and the travel industry, hard hit by travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will depend on when tourists will be able to return to beaches, cafes and taverns in Southern Europe.
Asked about the summer vacation, Johnson told reporters that he did not want the virus to be reimported from other countries to the UK, so it was not possible to provide further clarity, as the global situation was evolving so rapidly.
“Obviously, we are hopeful that we will be able to leave from May 17, but I do not wish to take hostage to fortune or underestimate the difficulties we are seeing in some of the destination countries that people may want to go to,” he said. .
“I would like to be able to give more information about this, I know that people who watch it will want to know exactly what they can do from May 17, but we are not there yet,” said Johnson. “As soon as we have more solid information, more solid data, we will let you know.”
A British government travel review said it was not yet clear whether tourists would have to wait beyond May 17 for exit restrictions to be lifted.
Johnson’s lack of clarity disappointed Britain’s largest airport and travel companies, who said the industry was on the verge of collapse.
“It is disappointing that the opportunity to provide more certainty to reunite families separated by travel restrictions has been lost, to give sun lovers the confidence to make reservations in advance for their summer getaway,” said Heathrow CEO John Holland -Kaye.
“A clearer timetable for returning to international travel is needed,” said Holland-Kaye.
Noel Josephides, president of the Sunvil travel group, told Reuters before Johnson said the industry would need weeks in advance to reopen hotels and resume flight routes.
“It is not possible to launch a tourist operation a week or two in advance,” he said.
Britain plans to use a traffic light risk system for countries as soon as non-essential international travel resumes, but the government said it is too early to say which countries could receive the green light that would require only coronavirus tests before and after of the trip.
VACCINE PASSPORTS
Countries that could qualify for the green list include Portugal, Malta, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Countries on the amber list would require self-isolation. Those on the red list would require quarantine.
Airlines such as easyJet, Ryanair and British Airways, as well as vacation groups like TUI, hope to avoid a second lost summer, but COVID-19 cases have increased in continental Europe.
Johnson said a planned reopening of the economy could take place next week, with the opening of all shops, gyms, hairdressers and outdoor hospitality areas in England.
With the vaccine being launched quickly in Britain and the number of infections falling, Johnson said England could proceed to Stage 2 of its roadmap outside the blockade on April 12.
“I will go to the pub myself – and cautiously, but irreversibly, I will bring a pint of beer to my lips,” said Johnson.
Johnson also confirmed that the government was looking for a COVID-19 status certification system, or vaccine passport, to help reopen major events and travel.
“You have to be very careful when dealing with this and … not start a system that is discriminatory.”
Edition by Guy Faulconbridge and Timothy Heritage; Aurora Ellis Edition