The Government's Global Travel Taskforce established to help save the travel industry from the 'existential threat' of COVID-19 has delivered 14 recommendations to the prime minister.
One key recommendation has already been set in motion with the Government's new test and release system coming into place from 15 December to help reduce the self isolation period for arrivals into the UK.
The other recommendations all follow the three broad principles of the taskforce: to ensure that journeys are safe; to increase demand for travel without compromising safety; and to drive the global standards required to support recovery.
The taskforce was co-chaired by the transport and health secretaries and considered how to encourage the safe recovery of domestic and overseas travel and tourism while reducing the risk of imported cases.
'The COVID-19 pandemic is proving to be an existential threat to many otherwise strong businesses within these sectors. International travel fell by 70% over the first eight months of 2020, compared to 2019,' the report states.
It adds: 'Some of the recommendations contained in this report will be delivered in the short-term, whereas others will need further consideration with clinicians, health experts and the transport and tourism sectors, and will be dependent on the future course of the pandemic.
'This report is the next step towards recovery for the travel and tourism sectors, as we look ahead towards the summer season in 2021. We will continue to adapt our approach over time as the virus evolves.'
Recommendations in full
The report makes 14 recommendations to ensure clear public health measures, increase demand safely and take the lead on global standards:
Clear public health measures
- Introduce a 'test to release' scheme in England to allow participating travellers from non-exempt countries to reduce their period of self-isolation
- Develop a pre-departure testing proposal with partner countries on a bilateral basis
Increasing demand safely
- Launch a public health information campaign to inform UK departing passengers and international visitors about travel requirements
- Deliver a system of assurance of air travel, led by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), to evidence the industry’s compliance with international guidance
- Deliver an effective communications campaign working with the CAA and Public Health England (PHE) to publicise the UK industry’s compliance with global health standards
- Develop a Tourism Recovery Plan setting out the transformation and growth of the sector over the next five years as part of our economic recovery
- Develop an Aviation Recovery Plan to consider the outlook for the sector in the medium term once these short-term measures have taken effect, including on ensuring sustainable economic growth and delivering on long-term aims around net zero and connectivity
- At the appropriate time, run a flagship overseas marketing campaign, promoting the UK as an attractive and safe place to visit
- Work with industry to explore the potential for 'tour bubbles' by extending the model successfully used for sports teams to cover inbound group tours
- Investigate measures to facilitate safe transit, for example where passengers need to transfer through another country on a longer journey, to avoid the need for passengers arriving from low-risk countries to self-isolate
- Study the feasibility of short stay exemptions for business activity
- Publish the criteria for when cruises can restart and agree to implement the phased approach to restart when the public health advice says it is safe
Leading on global standards
- Continue to drive forward work both in ICAO and with international partners on a bilateral and multilateral basis to deliver a shared global understanding of how to integrate a range of risk mitigation measures, such as increased testing, to reduce reliance on self-isolation or quarantine
- Advocate for the development of a global framework for the validation of tests and vaccination records as ICAO further develops its guidance on restart and recovery through 2021.
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