WTTC terms UK’s quarantine measure as disastrous
The requirement that UK travellers returning from Spain have to quarantine themselves yet again for 14 days has been a huge disappointment for thousands of British holidaymakers. The move is disastrous for the hard-pressed travel & tourism industry, both in Spain and the UK, Gloria Guevara, President & CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has said.
“While the health and safety of travellers – as well as those who work within the travel & tourism industry – is paramount, this move will be a bitter blow for those holidaymakers already in Spain who will now be forced into isolation when they return home,” Guevara said.
“WTTC believes quarantines do nothing to help restore consumer confidence at a time when we need to encourage people to return to travelling, in line with our safe travels protocols, to give a hope of saving some of the 2020 summer season,” she said.
“We urge governments to consider local lockdowns instead of closing entire country’s borders. Painting an entire country with the same brush does not benefit anyone. While we understand the concern about destinations like Spain with new COVID-19 cases, the majority of the country and its islands, which are incredibly popular holiday destinations, have less cases than the UK,” she noted.
“We encourage the government to consider solutions which reduce the impact on holidaymakers and those whose livelihoods depend upon travel & tourism,” Guevara added.