AITO chair ‘optimistic’ but foreign office advice ‘must change’

The foreign office needs to return to its pre-Covid system of travel advice while testing regimes must continue to be streamlined, AITO’s chairman has insisted, as he stressed the importance of maintaining pressure on the government while a Covid vaccine is rolled out.

Chris Rowles told TravelMole the test and release scheme, which kicks off on December, remains ‘clumsy’ and expensive as tests must be funded by consumers.

It remains ‘unaffordable’ for some people, he said, effectively adding £500 to the cost of a holiday.

And while the quarantine period is five days, that will realistically stretch to least seven by the time a test is taken and a result returned, Rowles suggested.

"We must keep putting pressure on the government to review this as quickly as possible," he said.

"At least test and release is starting soon, and I am sure testing will get more nuanced over time, but we’re just hoping and pushing for it to be sooner rather later."

Testing at airports on arrival – as is being done overseas – and cheaper tests would pave the way for a swifter return, he said.

He added that the cost of tests overseas is often far cheaper than the UK.

"The big question is why is that"? he asked.

Rowles also urged authorities to examine the vexed issue of travel advice which the foreign office has approached with sweeping generalisations since the pandemic began.

While island destinations were belatedly separated from mainland advice in September, blanket rulings remain in place with little regard for regional variations of Covid infections.

"Foreign Office advice for each country has historically been divided into green, orange and red zones. In Turkey for instance, millions of people have been going to western Turkey but there are others parts whether it’s been classed as red – do not travel at all.

"If that can be done in normal times I don’t see why that can’t be done with coronavirus as well."

Rowles described its dealings with politicians as ‘absolutely frustrating’ with the government displaying a  ‘sense of deafness’.

"There has been no single ministry or minister responsible for travel, it feels as if we’ve been passed from pillar to post," he said.

Nevertheless, Rowles predicted the gradual roll out of vaccines will restore confidence to the market relatively quickly.

As more vulnerable elements of the community are inoculated, wider society will return to some sort or normality and begin booking travel, he said.

"With the combination of vaccinations of vulnerable people and better testing regimes then we really will start to see people travelling way before the whole population is vaccinated.

"It might be that a vaccine isn’t totally rolled out until early summer of next year, but I think we’ll see travel, and society generally, opening up a long time before that.

"By March I imagine we have a useful proportion of people vaccinated. Confidence will then return so I am confident about this summer."

The appetite for travel has remained undimmed, even during the pandemic, he said.

"Another reason I’m confident is because of feedback from members. There I pent up demand.

"One member said they have customers who have changed their booking five times, so they are not giving up, they want to travel,

"Another operator was wondering about doing a cultural tour in Europe in February. They decided not to put it on sale but invited expressions of interest from their regulator customers. It was oversubscribed by a factor of two straight away, so these people really want to travel."

Only one AITO member has collapsed since Covid took hold – Cities Direct in September – although others have ‘gone into hibernation’.

Rowles said eight or nine operators did not renew their membership in September, far more than the ‘couple’ which normally leave.

"Some [who left] said they had to make people redundant and were not comfortable then paying subscriptions for an associations, but I think the ones that left will come back next year.

"Luckily most our members are resilient and hanging in there. Some have gone into hibernation, and some have cut back, but others did manage to get a little summer busines.

"It does look as though the vast majority are going to be here and will thrive in the future."