UK Government Must Get Holiday Air Deal with Spain and EU Countries says Tour Operator Group

THE UK government must get a holiday air deal with Spain and EU countries according to the country’s tour operator and travel agent group

The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) says that it is deeply worried about the impact that a 14-day quarantine will have on tourists coming to Britain, and also the fact that it will put off travellers going to Europe for a summer holiday.

As countries like Germany are looking to resume holiday travel in a few weeks time, ABTA says that the UK plans will have a “hugely damaging impact” on tourism.

An ABTA statement said: “Any measures that the government will be introducing on June 8 should be targeted and limited only to what is necessary.”

It said the UK should seek a “coordinated approach with destinations in the EU and beyond and reach deals with countries that have low infection rates that mean that quarantines will not be necessary.”

ABTA’s call comes as air carriers are looking to resume some service over the next month or so, but amidst large-scale redundancies.

Yesterday (May 22), Specialist Leisure Group, which owns coach and travel companies National Holidays, Shearings and Wallace Arnold, was placed into administration after suffering a huge drop in demand.

ABTA said more than 64,000 bookings have been cancelled, the majority of which are coach package holidays which are financially protected.