Joussen on Tuesday (9 February) confirmed Tui would not make vaccination a requirement during a first-quarter results call. "We will live with the virus, we can’t eliminate it," he said. "And we can’t exclude people from life."

Joussen, though, said some countries would inevitably make proof of vaccination an entry requirement, either in lieu of or as well as testing, which he said had come a long way since summer 2020.

Focusing specifically on cruise, Joussen said it was his belief that testing was "still the right thing for the cruise industry".

He added that once there was a certain level of vaccination among a population, it was important freedom was given to everyone.

It comes after Greece and Israel on Monday (8 February) signed an agreement allowing people who have been vaccinated against Covid to travel freely between the two countries when travel restarts.

Greece has also indicated the country is likely to open up first to countries further along in their efforts to vaccinate their population against Covid.

Joussen said while Tui wouldn’t insist on vaccination, a combination of vaccination and better testing would be required restart travel.

The UK’s vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi on Monday (8 February) said the UK had no plans to introduce vaccine passports, branding such a scheme "discriminatory".

However, when pressed on what holidaymakers would be able to do if destinations required proof of vaccination, Zahawi said travellers could get evidence of their inoculation from their GP.

"But we are not planning to have a [vaccine] passport in the UK."