The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson has said Brits should not go on holiday to ‘Amber’ destinations, but under the ‘traffic light’ system tourists are allowed to go, providing they have the required PCR tests and quarantine for 10 days at home when they get back to the UK.
Travel Agents have found themselves caught in a nightmare and say customers are becoming angry and aggressive when they're told they can't cancel an 'Amber' booking or get a refund, because the operator is going ahead with the holiday as scheduled.
“This is an absolute minefield and the trade bodies issuing statements saying it’s ok to go to ‘Amber' destinations on holiday is not helping. Customers are quoting the Prime Minister and Cabinet Ministers’ statements to members of Target,” says Jill Waite, fellow co-founder of Target and director of Pole Travel, who told Travel Weekly that “customers are not going to accept that a trade body is correct and the Prime Minister is wrong. We need ABTA and the trade bodies to legally challenge the Government and have one message as to whether customers can or cannot travel to ‘Amber’ countries on holiday.”
Customers can only get a refund if the Foreign Office issues a travel advisory for an ‘Amber’ destination or the country's entry restrictions change.
ABTA has agreed to discuss the issue with the Government.
“ABTA is raising concerns about the confusion created by the Government’s message that people should not travel to ‘Amber’ destinations, highlighting the fact that after months of expert planning it was the Government that put this framework in place that allows people to travel in a risk managed way, with mitigations such as testing and quarantine,” said an ABTA spokesperson.
A Target poll of the groups 865 members, found that 55% were only taking bookings for ‘Green’ destinations or domestic holidays for 2021; 23% were taking bookings for ‘Amber’ countries and 22% were taking no bookings at all.
Mallorca is currently on the UK’s ‘Amber’ list, but the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez said yesterday at FITUR, that vaccinated Brits will be allowed to enter Spain from Monday, May 24, so thousands of British tourists have probably already booked their tickets.
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You say in your Article Mallorca is currently on the Uk Amber list. Spain opening up to Brits means absolutely zippo. Amber list states the reasons you can travel to an amber list country. The World is up the creek and the only paddle is vaccination!!!! Get on with it. Then you will be removed