There are growing hopes that border restrictions in the United States will be eased, allowing Britons to travel across the Atlantic once more.
Aer Lingus, the Irish flag carrier, has confirmed the start of transatlantic flights leaving Manchester Airport from July 29, flying to both New York City and Orlando, Florida.
Paul Charles, the chief executive of The PC Agency travel consultancy, said on Twitter that it was “worth noting” that the US Department of Transport had given permission for the summer flights.
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It comes at a time when holidays in Europe are in jeopardy as the continent prepares for a third wave of coronavirus.
Mr Charles told Telegraph Travel: “At the moment, there’s a real danger that some European countries will lose their tourism market share this summer. The chaotic leadership of the Covid crisis from Brussels will have made some consumers look for non-EU destinations which are managing the situation more impressively and have stronger roll-out programmes, such as the USA, Turkey and Israel.
“These destinations will benefit far more as they will bring their Covid infection rates down more quickly and harness variants. Consumers will choose those countries deemed in control and safe.”
Giles Hawke, the chief executive of Cosmos Tours and Avalon Waterways, said that “given [America’s] progress with vaccinations and the speed of the UK vaccination programme, it's starting to feel like UK-US may be first out of the blocks”.
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This week more than two dozen travel trade bodies in the US wrote to the White House pleading for inbound travel restrictions to be dropped by May 1, to be replaced by a “risk-based, data-driven roadmap”.
Scroll down for more updates.
05:20 PM
What happened today?
A recap of the top stories:
Vaccinated travellers can skip Phuket quarantine from July
Travel ban likely until European cases drop and vaccinations rise, says Wellcome Trust boss
Join us tomorrow for more of the latest travel news.
05:12 PM
The Seychelles reopens its borders
The Seychelles has reopened its borders today after vaccinating 90 per cent of its population.
Crucially, tourists will be allowed to enter regardless of vaccination status.
Foreign Affairs and Tourism Minister Sylvestre Radegonde told Bloomberg the archipelago's economy shrunk by around 13 per cent last year after the number of holidaymakers fell by 70 per cent.
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“For a small economy, this is massive. We really took a bashing in 2020,” he said.
He added that the Seychelles is targeting traditionally secondary markets such as Russia and the Middle East, while much of Europe struggles with a spike in cases.
04:58 PM
The super-rich are moving to ‘back up’ countries during Covid (in ways you've never imagined)
The perfect storm of Covid and Brexit has seen an unprecedented surge in future pandemic prepping – it includes having multiple citizenships.
The super-rich are snapping up multiple citizenships in preparation for future pandemics
There was a time when procuring multiple passports and citizenships was the stuff of airport thrillers not real life. It was a discreet deal between two sets of lawyers behind closed doors. It certainly wasn’t talked about openly.
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Today, investment migration is a global industry - a pretty mainstream and transparently marketed lifestyle choice for High Net Worth Individuals, benefiting all parties involved.
'Hancock told us in January that everything would be OK by Easter'
With the Government preparing to make foreign holidays illegal, perhaps until July, Kenya-based safari guide and wildlife photographer Paul Goldstein has offered his damning verdict on a decision that will cause colossal damage to Africa's tourism-reliant economies.
"Health Secretary Matt Hancock told us in January that everything would be OK by Easter," he said.
"He clearly thinks OK includes punishing anyone who fancies a quick break with a ￡5,000 fine and, if they don't report their trip correctly on the Orwellian locator form, threatening up to ten years' incarceration.
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"For his interest, failure to report a hit-and-run accident carries the same ￡5,000 fine, while possesion of illegal firearms, indecent assault, sexual grooming of children and burglary with intent to rape carries the same ten-year maximum jail sentence."
04:33 PM
What you can and can't do from March 29 as lockdown rules start easing
A reminder of what changes to the lockdown rules from March 29 will mean for areas of life, including travel.
How did we holiday back in 1921 (before it was illegal)?
Pack your bags – we're off on a nostalgic trip through the photo albums of yore.
The year is 1921. David Lloyd George is Prime Minister. In January, the first ever person is "sawed in half" in Finsbury Park. Charlie Chaplin is taking the world by storm. In November, the UK marks the first official 'Poppy Day'.
Holidays in 1921 - Getty
And, unlike today, going on holiday was not a criminal offence with fines of up to ￡5,000.
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Today, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson throws yet more doubt on our prospects of a summer holiday, we thought it was high time for some sofa escapism.
Let's take a look back through the photo albums of yore to see how our holidays looked one hundred years ago.
What do you get when you combine chocolate-themed experiences with luxury hotels? Very indulgent stays, says Charlotte Johnstone.
Lockdown may have had us reaching for the biscuit tin already, but with hopes of travel opening back up soon here's our pick of the world's must-visit hotels for any discerning chocolate lover. From body treatments and truffle-making classes to cacao-based cuisine and chocolate-y afternoon teas.
One Aldwych, in central London, offers an afternoon tea inspired by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
03:43 PM
The return of coach travel
National Express coaches will return to Briain’s roads from next Monday, with a limited timetable of only 15 per cent of the standard intercity network.
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But the company has promised services will be expanded quickly, with new locations and routes, plus increased frequency, as lockdown restrictions are lifted and customer demand grows. Chris Hardy, managing director of National Express UK Coach, said: "It’s a great feeling to be getting hundreds of drivers back behind the wheel."
Significant Covid-secure measures will remain in place for travel, with limited numbers on coaches and in stations, enhanced cleaning, improved air conditioning and temperature screening of passengers before travel. All customers will have to wear face coverings, in line with government guidelines.
"Like the rest of the population, we look forward to being able to see friends and family, go on holiday, attend events and visit attractions again," Mr Hardy added.
03:27 PM
Will the Common Travel Area come to the rescue for summer holidays?
British hopes for a summer holiday abroad have been dealt another blow by the news that legislation is being brought in banning travel until June 30., writes Emma Cooke.
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Luckily, there may be an unlikely rescuer for those looking askance at Cornwall or the Lake District; namely, Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, and Ireland. These beautiful destinations reside within the Common Travel Area (CTA), which is exempt from the travel ban.
Portugal to begin internal travel ban earlier than expected
A travel ban within Portugal across the whole of the Easter week has been brought forward to midnight tonight.
Under the published amendment to legislation, people are barred from leaving their local district until 5am on April 5 (except for limited exceptional circumstances).
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The domestic travel ban forms part of the government’s plan for a gradual easing of the lockdown first imposed in mainland Portugal in the middle fo January.
03:11 PM
The list of UK sailings grows longer
With cruise lines setting their sights firmly on a domestic return after a year with little to no passengers, cruise expert Jane Archer reports on the latest from small-ship specialists Noble Caledonia.
Tui, the world’s largest leisure and travel company, has reduced its capacity for summer 2021 from 80 per cent of 2019’s level to 75 per cent, as bookings for the summer appearing to have stalled.
However in a statement the operator said bookings were still “encouraging”, adding that “customer demand is there, people want to travel.”
The average sales price for this summer was up 22 per cent compared to 2019 but overall bookings were down 60 per cent compared to the same period two years ago.
02:55 PM
'Nothing has changed'
We need to wait and see what the Government's Global Travel Taskforce announces next month before getting too concerned about summer holiday plans falling through, says Erin Johnson.
The marketing director at Sovereign Luxury Travel told The Telegraph:
News headlines today make the prospect of summer holidays feel very distant again when in fact, nothing has changed. The hype around ‘data not dates’ means we are all in fact fixed to a date.
The new legislation doesn’t override the report due from the Global Travel Taskforce in April, when we will know what form our summer holidays can take so I urge everyone to refrain from making predictions or second-guessing what might happen until we know for certain then.
02:52 PM
Red list questions
My colleague Oliver Smith has some questions about countries still on the Government's red list.
02:25 PM
Matt Hancock faces 'red list' question in the Commons
Jonathan Ashworth, the Shadow Health Secretary, asks whether the Government intends to add countries like France and Spain to the red list amid a surge in cases on the continent.
Matt Hancock says that all of these questions will be answered through the Global Travel Taskforce, to be published on April 5, so urges Mr Ashworth to "wait until then".
02:12 PM
Travel bans don't just affect holiday goers – I've no idea when I'll be able to see my family again
Stephen McCulloch with his wife úrsula Souza and their twins, before the pandemic
It’s been over a year since Stephen McCulloch last hugged his two-year-old twins. McCulloch’s wife, úrsula Souza, lives in her native Brazil with their two children.
Travel bans, the cost of mandatory hotel quarantine, and a succession of cancelled flights have meant that the family has been physically separated since February 2020.
The pandemic has dismantled their plans to settle in England together this year, and it remains unclear when they will be reunited.
“The kids might turn three while we are still apart,” Souza, 37, says. “Are we going to spend another year apart?”
What I've learnt about America (and Americans) and after visiting 36 of its states
From coolest city to friendliest people, Chris Leadbeater reveals his findings
What have I learnt over the course of these journeys? All sorts of things. Most of them trivial, inconsequential and entirely un-life-changing: Specifically – that US chocolate does not become more palatable the more you eat it. That many Americans are often amazed that Britons can drive on the "other" side of the road without crashing. That jetlag, if you’re flying in from the UK, really kicks in somewhere around the Rockies, but that you can flit around New England and much of the Midwest without ever feeling too far out of your time zone.
Air traffic may not recover until 2025, says airports organisation
Airports Council International (ACI) has predicted that air traffic may not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2025.
The global airports organisation has forecast that five billion fewer passengers will fly this year than previously estimated.
ACI director general Luis Felipe de Oliveira, said: “We see positive indications in countries with high rates of vaccination and a surge in travel in the second half of 2021 is expected.
“Despite this, Covid-19 remains an existential crisis for airports, airlines and their commercial partners and we need support and sensible policy decisions from governments.”
01:28 PM
All hail Hayling Island: Britain's forgotten 'Utopia-by-the-Sea'
How about a lunchtime read?
Growing up, Tracey Davies told friends she was going on holiday to a South Sea island – the place off Southsea felt as glamorous as Hawaii.
Embrace seaside holiday tradition on a trip to Hayling - istock
Once marketed as 'Utopia-by-the-Sea', Hayling Island off the Solent coast of Hampshire, is often in the shadow of its glitzy big sister, the Isle of Wight. The catchy strapline was part of a big marketing plan in the 1800s by the developers of Norfolk Crescent, a grandiose housing development which included the fancy Royal Hotel, a seawater bathhouse and a seafront library, to promote Hayling Island as an idyllic place to live and stay. Sadly, it never caught on.
Luxury rail operator offers new summer day-trips to great British seaside resorts
Britons will be able to reach the seaside in style this summer - Belmond
With overseas travel still uncertain, luxury train specialist Belmond is planning a series of summer day-trips from London to some of southern England’s loveliest seaside resorts on board the iconic British Pullman.
The journeys, spaced throughout the season, will take in the resorts of Broadstairs, Margate and Whitstable, with a further outing planned to the seaside town of Hastings, close to the site of the famous battle of 1066.
Vaccinated travellers can skip Phuket quarantine from July
Phuket, in southern Thailand, is hoping to drop compulsory quarantine for tourists vaccinated against Covid-19 from July, when it expects 70 per cent of its local population to have been vaccinated.
Thai tourism minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said that tourists who have had two doses will be able to stay on the island without quarantine and, after a week without symptoms and a negative test result, they will be allowed to travel to other parts of Thailand, according to Reuters.
Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, the president of the Thai Hotels Association, described the hotels left empty of tourists as “zombies”.
Thailand has seen 92 deaths from coronavirus.
12:52 PM
'Outdated' ban on US cruises need to change, says CLIA
Cruise Lines International Association, (CLIA), which represents 95 per cent of the world’s ocean-going cruise capacity, has called for “outdated” restrictions on cruises in US waters to be lifted.
A ‘No Sail Order’ from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was replaced by a ‘Conditional Sailing Order’ (CSO) in October 2020, but since then there has been no further guidance from authorities – effectively banning sailings for the world’s largest cruise market.
“The outdated CSO, which was issued almost five months ago, does not reflect the industry's proven advancements and success operating in other parts of the world, nor the advent of vaccines, and unfairly treats cruises differently. Cruise lines should be treated the same as other travel, tourism, hospitality, and entertainment sectors,” said Kelly Craighead, CLIA's president and chief executive.
Ms Craighead pointed out that the “resumption of cruising has continued in Europe, Asia, and the South Pacific—with nearly 400,000 passengers sailing to date in more than 10 major cruise markets.”
'The pandemic ruined my six-month paternity leave adventure'
Three cancelled trips and too much time with his daughter was not the paternity plan, writes Hugh Morris. Tune up the tiniest of your violins because he has a tale of lockdown woe.
The French travel corridor (remember those?) shut a fortnight before my leave began. At first, my wife and I were full of bravado. Of course we’ll still go. This was the month, spent at my wife’s parent’s place in Limoges, that was to define my paternity. It was the trip we had been waiting for since March. Our daughter would soak up the earliest influences of French culture and I would drink wine by the gallon and eat cheese by the kilo. Then, faced with a fortnight in quarantine, locked in our ground floor flat, our confidence ebbed away, and we cancelled. In north-east London we stayed.
Next came the Seychelles. It was all set, seven nights at the end of November. Our daughter was a little more sentient; she was enjoying swimming. I’d never been to an Indian Ocean idyll and this felt an apt reward for ushering life into the world.
The holiday archipelago never saw it coming. It was luxuriating in a handful of coronavirus cases (if that) when Boris Johnson hit the UK with Lockdown 2.0. The lockdown eased again, in November, but a ban on travel remained. The trip was scuppered. In north-east London we stayed.
A vaccine passport system may only be possible to introduce once everybody has been offered a covid jab, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has suggested.
The use of such documents has been cited as a way to reopen international travel, as well as in domestic hospitality. “There are lots of difficult issues,” he said day, adding: “You've got to be careful about how you do this.”
“There are complexities – moral complexities, ethical problems – that need to be addressed”, he said, but “on the international travel side, you can see the arguments”.
Mr Johnson said the Government’s certification group would give more details in “early April”.
12:18 PM
P&O Cruises to launch new ship in the Caribbean
The newest ship in the P&O Cruises fleet, Arvia, will make its first voyage in December 2022 and spend its maiden season in the Caribbean, the company has announced.
The vessel's Caribbean itineraries will last one or two weeks, begin in Barbados, and feature stops at La Romana in the Dominican Republic, Cura?ao, Martinique, St Kitts, St Lucia and St Maarten. Longer 22-night holidays departing from or returning to Southampton with UK flights are also available. They will go on sale in the coming weeks.
P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow said: “The Caribbean is the optimal maiden season destination for Arvia, a ship where every facet, including its unique retractable SkyDome roof and the Altitude Skywalk high ropes, is designed to provide exceptional views of the ocean, seashore and surrounding destinations.”
For those who cannot wait until 2022, P&O's first post-lockdown voyages will take place from May in British waters. Only those who have been vaccinated will be allowed on board, however.
12:12 PM
'Real danger' some countries will miss out on tourists this summer
Amid uncertainty over plans for travel this summer, Paul Charles, the chief executive ofThe PC Agency travel consultancy, told The Telegraph:
At the moment, there’s a real danger that some European countries will lose their tourism market share this summer.
The chaotic leadership of the Covid crisis from Brussels will have made some consumers look for non-EU destinations which are managing the situation more impressively and have stronger roll-out programmes, such as the USA, Turkey and Israel.
These destinations will benefit far more as they will bring their Covid infection rates down more quickly and harness variants. Consumers will choose those countries deemed in control and safe.
11:58 AM
Is the holiday restart about to be delayed, and what will the consequences be?
The optimist in me still hopes we will get a managed return to overseas travel by the end of May, with a handful of possible destinations, says Nick Trend.
New legislation likely to be passed today now also allows the Government to fine people ￡5,000 for breaking the travel rules and for the ban on overseas holidays to be extended until the end of June. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the May 17 date for reopening international travel has been pushed back. But it allows for that to happen.
In another telling development, the Prime Minister also that he would give more news about foreign travel on April 5, a week earlier than expected, since the Global Travel Taskforce, which is looking into the issue, isn’t due to report until April 12. Quite what this means isn’t clear. But it is hard to see how an earlier update will bring good news when all the emphasis from both scientists and politicians has been on the need for caution.
The optimist in me still hopes that we will get a managed return to overseas travel by the end of May, with a handful of destinations with low levels of infection and variants being reopened to British travellers and others added as the summer progresses. I have a flight booked to Greece on June 5 and I certainly haven’t given up on that yet.
'We need a Minister of Hospitality with the seniority to have the PM's ear'
Almost a year to the day after the start of the first lockdown, yesterday Parliament was again debating the creation of a Minister for Hospitality. It comes in the wake of the Seat at the Table Campaign, launched by chefs, including Angela Hartnett, and hoteliers, such as Robin Hutson, owner of the Pig hotels.
He said:
By the time the hospitality sector is allowed to tentatively open up outdoors, it will have been allowed to open for only four months of the past 13. The furlough support has saved jobs for sure and some of the support measures have been well targeted but there are still many businesses that will not make it through to the summer.
It was really good to see the Commons debate for hospitality so well supported. It lasted for two hours, was oversubscribed by countless MPs across all parties and all nations wanting to speak up for their constituency businesses. There was unanimous acknowledgement that the sector had been disproportionately affected by the pandemic and was in need of further ongoing support through the recovery period. There was excellent highlighting of the wider industry including the weddings and events sector and the supply [chain that] depends on the entire sector.
Minister Paul Scully responded on behalf of the government; he gave lots of soothing words but sadly [seems] unlikely to have the power to convince the Prime Minister's inner circle of the need for further support for the sector – that’s why we need a Minister of Hospitality with the seniority to have the PM's ear."
11:35 AM
Poland's woes, and Europe at a glance
Poland has recorded 34,151 new daily coronavirus cases today, the highest since the beginning of the pandemic.
As it wrestles with a deadly third wave, the country's health minister has introduced new restrictions that come into force on Saturday, and are expected to until April 9. They include limiting the number of people in churches, the closing of hairdressers, nurseries and sports centres, and further limits to the number of people allowed in shops.
Elsewhere in Europe:
Germany is expected to introduce new regulations for international arrivals, with travellers required to provide a negative test result before departure
Estonia is planning to have a digital vaccine certificate scheme in place from next month, with similar plans under consideration in Denmark
France is to crack down on gatherings of more than six people outdoors by imposing fines
A new law to limit movement in the Finland's capital, Helsinki, to tackle an increase in Covid cases has been proposed by Prime Minister Sanna Marin
Hungary may approve a plan to reopen schools next week
11:30 AM
Discovering Scotland's Orwellian isle
This is a wildscape of tumbling glen, blanket bog and craggy coast, where otters, sea eagles and many a lethal adder thrive unruffled by man, writes Robin McKelvie.
There is something about Jura; there must be. George Orwell declared this remote Hebridean outlier "extremely ungetatable", but then spent years writing his darkly dystopian Nineteen Eighty-Four here, Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty (aka. The KLF) torched a cool ￡1 million on Jura in 1994, and this year retired Australian hedge fund owner Greg Coffey launches a golf course already hailed not only as one of the best in Scotland, but anywhere. Not that the population of 6,000 takes much notice. On Jura (from the Norse ‘deer’) they are more interested in munching on grassy morsels in the mountains that frame perhaps the most inspiring and off-the-wall of Scotland’s Inner Hebrides.
My first sight of Jura was an appositely dramatic one. Out of the Islay mists the darkened hulks of the infamous scree-scorched quartzite Paps of Jura reared into view, rendering our ship the look of a bath tub toy. Eking into Loch Tarbert on Jura’s wild west the low-slung ridge filled with a welcoming party: over 50 red deer (the UK’s largest land mammal) stood guard, antlers silhouetted in the ochre and tangerine gloaming, adding to the cinematic appeal. Not a human soul in sight.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said no decisions have been taken yet on vaccine passports for pubs.
Mr Johnson also confirmed that the measure would definitely not apply on 12 April, when pubs and restaurants open for outdoor dining.
There had been considerable backlash against his suggestion that pubs could require vaccine passports for entry. Patrick Dardis, the chief executive of 190-year-old pub operator and brewer Young's, was among those opposed to the plan: "At this point in time the government should focus on encouraging people to enjoy their summer holidays."
11:10 AM
Summer holidays plans dampened for Northern Irish
Northern Ireland’s Health Minister has warned that foreign holidays this summer are “very much” off the table.
Robin Swann expressed concern about the possibility of a surge in cases, and suggested the devolved administration could be forced to restrict travel over the border with the Republic of Ireland, citing their neighbour’s slower vaccination rate.
His comments come despite the head of Northern Ireland’s vaccine rollout, Patricia Donnelly, said that the region is on course to have offered the first dose to all adults by July.
11:00 AM
Living the van life
Converted school bus - DEBRA L ROTHENBERG/SHUTTERSTOCK / ZUMA WIRE
The Van Life movement has hit New York City, with people living in their vans on the Upper West Side. Above is a Skoolie, a high-end converted school bus.
In order to get around travel restrictions during the pandemic, a number of Americans took to living in their vans.
10:54 AM
Think beyond the hotspots for UK holiday
Phil Salcedo, the UK and North America head of travel offers firm HolidayPirates, says there are still plenty of deals to be found for holidays in the UK.
“The key is to look at the regions that don’t tend to book out months in advance,” he told Telegraph Travel.
“Prices are going through the roof in places like Cornwall, Devon, and the Peak District simply because of sudden demand and limited supply. But the UK is outlined by beautiful beaches and full of village pubs, stunning walks, biking trails, and attractions, so try to look outside of the holiday hotpots. They’ll be less crowded and far less expensive. Once they’re finally allowed to, city hotels will also be throwing out some terrific deals and will hopefully be buzzing with outdoor attractions and events nearby.”
'Europeans miss the Great British holidaymaker just as much as we miss their beaches'
The Mediterranean nations are dying to see us – and not just for our money, writes Oliver Smith.
Perhaps, far from being universally hated – as those Britain-bashing sections of the middle class would have you believe, UK holidaymakers are thought of rather fondly on foreign shores.
For confirmation, I asked our team of expat experts for their verdict.
“The cash is the main thing, but the French also miss us as jolly good people,” said Anthony Peregrine, a resident of the country for 30 years. “They’re loath to admit it, but it’s true. I’m regularly told that we’re the sort of well-behaved guests they like to welcome: unusually appreciative of French culture, gastronomy and traditions, cultured and courteous, modest and cheerful. And we don’t complain much
In pictures: Spider swarms, emu rescue and waterfalls on Uluru
More than 40,000 people in Australia have been forced to flee their homes as torrential rain sparked dangerous flash floods.
Australia floods 2021 in pictures
10:24 AM
Travel ban likely until European cases drop and vaccinations rise, says Wellcome Trust boss
During yesterday's liaison committee hearing, Boris Johnson gave little away about what the chances of international travel might be this summer.
Wellcome Trust director Sir Jeremy Farrar, told Radio 4's Today programme this morning that Europe's third wave is likely to delay any lifting of restrictions.
He said: "I think [the ban] will [continue], until we can see progress in Europe with the epidemic coming down and vaccination rates going up in Europe."
He added that vaccine passports could cross the line "of individual freedoms and public health", adding that "public health works when there is trust and when people want to do things that are their interests, and in the interests of their community, their families and their society".
Daily new Covid-19 cases across Europe
10:12 AM
Which countries will be green, amber and red?
A holiday 'traffic light system' is set to be unveiled, so Greg Dickinson asks: Which countries could be given the green light?
As part of the road map issued last month the Prime Minister said that May 17 is the earliest date that we will get away. On April 12, a newly reformed Global Travel Taskforce will report on whether it is safe to do so by May 17. We now know that the taskforce is considering a ‘traffic light system’, labelling countries as green (no restrictions), amber (open, but with quarantine and test requirements) and red (banned entirely, or hotel quarantine on return).
In predicting which countries will be which colour when the system is announced, we have considered the following factors:
How is the vaccination drive going?
Did it reopen to UK arrivals in 2020, without quarantine? Is the Government in support of vaccine certification to waive quarantine for arrivals?
What are the current case numbers?
Does it have hotel quarantine, or other prohibitive border policies in place?
Telegraph Travel cruise writer Dave Monk has the latest on Viking Cruises return to water. There's certainly pent-up demand from veteran cruisers, it seems...
Travel agents group submits report to travel taskforce
The Advantage Travel Partnership, the UK’s largest independent travel agent group, has delivered its recommendations to the Government’s Global Travel Taskforce, highlighting a need for a risk-based approach on continued restrictions, taking vaccination rollouts into account.
The six-page submission also recommends reliable and affordable testing, digital vaccination certifications, increased alignment between the UK’s devolved nations, and improved cooperation with the travel insurance sector.
Julia Lo Bue-Said, the chief executive of the Advantage Travel Partnership, said: “We appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with government at this critical time for the industry and look forward to a report which will support the recovery of outbound travel this year."
The Global Travel Taskforce is expected to present its findings on April 5.
09:48 AM
New Manchester-Caribbean route planned
Manchester Airport is to get a new Aer Lingus service to the Caribbean later this year with flights to Barbados.
The route will begin on October 20 and run twice a week until November 21, when they will fly three times a week.
Lisa Cummins, Barbados' tourism minister, said “We are hoping that over the coming months we will have a new look tourism industry that will reflect the new public health imperatives, and by October when the service commences, our partners and Barbados alike would have achieved our respective vaccination level targets that allow for the safe resumption of travel and the return of traveller confidence.”
Flights are on sale from today.
09:35 AM
United States sees encouraging signs
Deaths from coronavirus in the US have fallen below an average of 1,000 a day for the first time since November, three months into their vaccination drive.
The number of elderly adults being admitted to hospital has also dropped significantly. Around 70 per cent of Americans aged 65 and older have received at least one dose of a vaccine.
Dr Eric Topol, head of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, said the US was “getting closer to the exit ramp” but that it should remain cautious.
The shutdown of international travel during the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in a US$4.5 trillion (￡3.3 billion) loss to the world’s travel and tourism sector, says the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).
The trade body’s annual economic impact report states that the sector’s contribution to global GDP fell almost 50 per cent in 2020. There have also been 62 million jobs losses for the hard-hit industry.
The WTTC is pressing for international travel to be resumed from June with the help of “digital health passes” that would record whether a person had been inoculated, tested negative or already had Covid.
09:17 AM
'Frustrating and eerie, but at least bookings are up'
From difficult decisions to promising bookings, hoteliers in England share their thoughts on how they've found the last year.
For hoteliers, having to manage restrictions, staff and bookings has been a challenge, but many are looking forward to a busy year of staycationing guests – especially Paul Bayliss, general manager of Hotel Brooklyn in Manchester, which has been trying to launch for the past year.
The property was supposed to open in early 2020 – just before the first lockdown hit. Then again in summer. Now it is hoped it can open once and for all on May 17.
He said:
Trying to launch a brand new hotel and having to open and close three times has been frustrating. But also fascinating, because there's been plenty of time to reflect on guest experience and how we all deal with uncertainty.
Pubs may demand Covid passport before they will pull your pint
There's little more I've been looking forward to than post-lockdown UK break that involves a whole handful of pit stops in pubs. But will it be as simple as walking in and ordering a pint?
Coronavirus vaccine certificates could be introduced by pubs when they reopen later this year, reports Ben Riley-Smith. People may have to prove that they have had a Covid jab or tested negative for the virus before entering a pub, and Mr Johnson said: "I think that that's the kind of thing – it may be up to individual publicans, it may be up to the landlord."
His lack of opposition suggests the Government will not intervene if pubs – and potentially other private companies – decide to require proof of Covid status.
The position is a stark departure from two months ago, when Government ministers were arguing that making people reveal such information within the UK was "discriminatory" and against British values.
09:02 AM
Speaking of getting back to normality…
My colleague Emma Featherstone has found some of the most indulgent travel experiences for each new stage of England's roadmap – including spectacular gardens (hello there, picnics), meals in Michelin-starred pubs, brilliant train journeys… and much more.
Bill Gates has his crystal ball out. The Microsoft co-founder has said in an interview that he believes the world will be back to normal by the end of 2022.
The pandemic is “an incredible tragedy”, he told Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza, but access to vaccines meant that by the end of next year “we should be basically completely back to normal.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has committed at least ￡1.3 billion to the help fight coronavirus, including funding for vaccines, diagnostics and potential treatments.
08:47 AM
Set out overseas summer holidays plan or face Covid laws rebellion, Tory MPs warn
Tory MPs have called for the Government to lay out a "clear" plan for overseas summer holidays or run the risk of a major revolt against the extension of Covid powers, reports Charles Hymas.
They have warned that the Government's foreign travel ban – potentially to the end of June – and the ￡5,000 fines to enforce it are "sowing confusion" among the public and in danger of damaging an aviation and travel industry "already on its knees".
Ministers' global travel taskforce must lift the blanket ban on travel and lay out a clear "opening up" plan for overseas breaks in lower-risk countries from the proposed date of May 17, they say.
