The government’s decision to “liberalise our international travel regime”, as transport secretary Grant Shapps put it, has been a long time coming. And its timing – coming into effect just before February half-term – suggests ministers may, at long last, have started to get an inkling of how the travel industry actually works.
That it has taken 22 months to understand the needs of the industry is frankly shameful, and highlights again why travel must continue to fight for a dedicated outbound travel minister to safeguard itself should another crisis strike.
