June 9 - The UK government must abandon the ‘failed and damaging’ traffic light system now if it is to save the stricken Travel & Tourism sector from total collapse, says the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

 

The controversial system, which has wreaked havoc among consumers and Travel & Tourism businesses, needs to be scrapped if there is any hope of saving hundreds of thousands of jobs throughout the UK

 

WTTC, which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, says if this doesn’t happen urgently the more businesses will collapse, and more jobs will be lost.

 

The global tourism body also warned that the UK will lose out on crucial funding, investment, and spending, and that conference investment in the UK is already being pulled and moved to neighbouring European countries.

 

Furthermore, it says the UK will squander its competitive advantage generated by the successful vaccine rollout.

 

WTTC advocates enabling fully vaccinated holidaymakers and travellers, and those with proof of a negative test to travel once more to countries with similar, or higher vaccination levels to the UK, and to destinations with proven low-infection rates.

 

The move to a more transparent and easier to understand approach would restore consumer confidence and provide a much-needed boost to Travel & Tourism businesses which have suffered severe setbacks due to the traffic light system.

 

The restoration of free mobility is essential to help drive the economic recovery from the pandemic, with a further 218,000 jobs at serious risk, if international travel continues to be off limits for most of the summer. This is in addition to the 307,000 jobs which were lost in the UK sector last year.

 

However, WTTC recognises the paramount importance of protecting public health and the need to avoid travelling to countries or destinations with a demonstrably higher COVID-19 rate.

 

The global tourism body has long advocated that a combination of vaccines, testing, digital health passes and health and safety protocols, can safely unlock international travel.

 

 

---

More Travel News:

Interventions needed to accelerate Caribbean Tourism’s recovery oneworld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance urge universal travel standards Nearly two thirds of European football fans would rather see their main rivals win UEFA EURO 2020™ than skip their next holiday A new mini aqua park, Bamboo Island, opens in Sandos Playacar