UK Travel Retail Forum signals concern about impact of mandatory quarantine measures

Francois Bourienne: “It is alarming that the quarantine period has been announced without meaningful consultation”

UK. The UK Travel Retail Forum has said it has “serious concerns” about the UK government’s plans to introduce a 14-day quarantine for inbound travellers, and the impact it will have on the capacity of the travel industry to restart.

While welcoming the “shift in tone” from the UK government as it sets out a roadmap for easing lockdown restrictions, the industry body said that international travel cannot begin when the rules about a mandatory quarantine period are unclear.

UKTRF Chair Francois Bourienne said: “It is positive that the government is now actively considering the means by which the UK will eventually leave lockdown and move towards a return to normal life.

“However the UKTRF, along with airports, ports, and travel retail operators, remains extremely concerned by the effect a mandatory quarantine period for arriving passengers will have on the UK travel sector.

“While UKTRF firmly supports a science-led approach to all measures to combat COVID-19, we believe there may be more effective risk-based approaches that the government is not considering. It is also alarming that the quarantine period has been announced without meaningful consultation and engagement with the travel sector to ensure the planned rules are understood, workable in the short term, and clear in their scope and duration.

“International travel and all the commercial activity associated with it cannot realistically begin to restart while the industry has no sight of how these rules will apply in practice, and when they will end. In the intervening period, the sector will also need support from the government to ensure that jobs are protected and businesses with a viable long-term future are not allowed to fail in these unprecedented times.

“UKTRF understands and supports the government’s desire to follow the best scientific and medical advice during this time, but urges ministers to work closely with the industry over the coming days to ensure any quarantine rules are practicable and proportionate. In particular we urge the government to move quickly to extend its Job Retention Scheme and provide the travel sector with the reassurance it needs before any quarantine comes into effect.”

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