ABTA welcomes the removal of Foreign Office advice against travel for Spain, Greece and France
ABTA – The Travel Association has welcomed the news that the Foreign Office has now removed its advice against all but essential travel to several popular holiday destinations, including Spain, Greece, France, Morocco and Jamaica, with immediate effect.
The changes come in addition to the Government’s announcement of quarantine-free travel for double vaccinated travellers in England who are returning from amber list countries, which comes into force on 19 July.
Together these changes mean more people can travel to more overseas destinations this summer – giving them the chance to enjoy the beautiful beaches, glorious sunshine and mouth-watering local fare of some of the best holiday destinations for this time of year.
Spain is British holidaymakers’ most popular destination, attracting over 18 million of us each year, followed by France, with Greece a regular feature in the top five most visited destinations for UK travellers. These holiday hotspots were among 21 countries to have the advice against all but essential travel lifted, other countries include Switzerland, Slovakia, Luxembourg, Ukraine and Nigeria.
Holidaymakers still need to regularly check the travel advice pages for the country they are visiting at www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice to find out the latest entry requirements and local rules relating to Coronavirus.
To help holidaymakers book and travel with confidence this year, ABTA has created a hub of essential information and guidance at abta.com/readysteadytravel, including a step-by-step guide to help travellers prepare for their next trip, a page explaining the latest Government requirements for travel and a Q&A to answer the most common questions about travelling during the pandemic.
Graeme Buck, Director of Communications at ABTA said:
“There is huge pent-up demand for overseas holidays after so many months of travel restrictions, so many people will be very excited to be able to finally take a well-deserved break to favourite destinations like Spain, Greece and France.
“We’re encouraging anyone who is planning to head overseas this summer to speak to an ABTA Member. As well as helping their customers to understand what the latest advice means for their travel plans, our Members are experts at finding the best holiday to suit their customers’ preferences – and at a competitive price. Further advice and information is also available on our dedicated hub at www.abta.com/readysteadytravel”
ABTA’s ten top tips for booking and travelling with confidence this year are:
- Use the expertise of an ABTA Member to help plan your trip and navigate the latest advice.
- Book a package holiday for the greatest level of protection.
- Check the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advice for your destination and sign up to email alerts.
- Check the Government’s traffic light list to find out what you need to do for your journey back to the UK.
- Note that many companies offer flexible cancellation and booking policies.
- Take out travel insurance as soon as you book and check its cover for Coronavirus.
- Make sure all your travel documents are in order, e.g. your passport validity meets entry requirements and you’ve applied for the visas you need.
- If you’re travelling to Europe, there may be extra steps you need to take ahead of your trip. Visit abta.com/Brexit
- Research the new measures that will be in place on your journey and in-destination, e.g. the rules around face coverings and social distancing.
- With your holiday booked, you can sit back and look forward to heading off on your well-deserved break!
ABTA’s advice on travelling during the pandemic can be found at www.abta.com/readysteadytravel
See also ABTA highlights top destinations to visit this summer for double vaccinated travellers
