The decision by the UK government to impose a 14-day quarantine from 8th June was described as too late to be effective.
The comment followed the delivery of a letter to Home Secretary Priti Patel by leading members of the sector asking for the quarantine to be withdrawn “immediately”.
Robin Sheppard, chairman, Bespoke Hotels, said: “The horse has bolted and now we shut the gate. If ever this expression was designed to describe a scenario then ‘quarantine now and not on 23rd March, when it should have been imposed’ is custom built to fit.
“But then it’s Priti Patel so why would be surprised by her lack of judgement or competence.
“Strap ourselves in for the most commercially turbulent ride of our lives; as over the next two years we will hit Brexit bumps, low-skilled pay grade bumps, goose bumps, quarantine bumps and Covid bumps.”
In a letter to Patel, the group of over 70 industry leaders, including Sir Rocco Forte, said: “Many people urged the government to impose quarantine regulations during the early phases of Covid-19. Instead, no action was taken and flights from many infected countries were allowed to land, making it easy for thousands of potentially affected passengers to spread the virus into the wider UK community.
“Covid-19 is now under control and we commend the government for its handling of what was an extraordinary and unprecedented situation. There is a glimmer of hope that at least some of the summer business (the most important period of the year for many travel companies and hotels) might be salvaged, perhaps even more so for those companies that have a large portfolio of European product.
“The very last thing the travel industry needs is a mandatory quarantine imposed on all arriving passengers which will deter foreign visitors from coming here, deter UK visitors from travelling abroad, and most likely cause other countries to impose reciprocal quarantine requirements on British visitors. We therefore believe there is substantial merit in the plan put forward by Grant Shapps for ‘air bridges’ to be formed between the UK and countries where there is a low rate of Covid-19. It is completely wrong of the government to have dismissed this plan without due consultation.
“It would be far more constructive, not just for the economy but also for controlling the spread of Covid-19, to ensure the ramped-up testing capability is carried out on those arriving in the UK and that all arrivals are required to download the soon-to-be-launched Government App.
The government has done its best to suppress and control this invidious viral contagion, but it should not, and must not, exceed its mandate. The people of this country do not wish to be prevented from travelling.
“The government itself has urged people to use their common sense in terms of their behaviour. Quite simply, it is time to switch the emphasis from protection to economic recovery, before it is too late. We the undersigned, therefore urge the Home Secretary to abandon the concept of mandatory quarantine and instead, champion an industry that provides not only a major economic contribution to the whole of the UK, but also such joy to so many people.
Kerry Golds, MD, Abercrombie & Kent, added: “We support whatever means necessary to manage and ensure the safety of people around the world. However, a 14-day quarantine will have a dramatic impact on the UK tourism industry which has already been one of the hardest hit.
“If this quarantine is to go ahead, the government must act urgently to protect the travel industry which has been crippled during this pandemic.”
Insight: Sheppard speaks for us all when he describes the through the looking glass scenario in which the UK finds itself. We must have a quarantine, it seems, but we can only have it from the 8th June. If it sounds like it makes no sense, that’s because it doesn’t.
Some have suggested that the quarantine was announced to buy leverage as the latest Brexit deadline approaches, leverage nixed by the French who countered with a quarantine of their own on 8th June.
But the sector is not leverage. This is not a game. We are not toys to be played with. These are people’s livelihoods, people’s much-needed holidays, trips to see friends and family. This is a pandemic, not a chance for political point scoring.