A handful of destinations, including the UAE, Qatar and Iceland, were added to the government’s travel corridor list on Thursday (12 November), while South Africa – while not yet having a corridor – has signalled it is ready to welcome travellers and tourists from around the world again.
Advantage chief Lo Bue-Said, however, said with the government’s "unpredictable" travel corridor regime doing little for consumer confidence, it was a chance for agents to shine and show their worth.
“Following the news eight destinations have been added to the quarantine-free travel corridors list, this offers the travel industry and our travel agent members some hope at being able to sell holidays to Brits in search of a post-lockdown getaway," she said.
"However, the unpredictability of the travel corridors does not foster consumer confidence when it comes to travel planning.
"For travellers, the expertise of a local travel agent is now more valuable than ever, and they will help cut through any confusion and provide advice on the latest entry requirements, such as evidence of a negative Covid test, which some of these destinations require."
Lo Bue-Said said she hoped to see rapid LAMP tests for Covid approved in the UK soon to reduce the price of testing and increase accessibility and availability, which she said would "encourage more people to book and travel to help the travel industry survive this crisis.”
She added: "The winter is a great time to visit Iceland, and the UAE is a fantastic option for winter sun, so this announcement will be a welcome relief for travel agents who now have some options to sell.
"It’s positive to see that the world is beginning to open, and destinations like South Arica have announced it will lift all restrictions on international travel."
