VSHarlotte Bond and David Cartwright, directors of ATI Holidays (Africa Tourist Info), which specializes in itineraries to Namibia, Botswana and South Africa, have urged the government to rethink its approach to international travel.

In a letter to Boris Johnson, Grant Shapps, Dominic Raab, Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid, the duo call for four key actions:

1. Get rid of the traffic light system, including the Red List – instead using the “proportionate” advisory questions from the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.
2. End the hotel quarantine scheme
3. End of on-arrival testing for all fully vaccinated travelers, whatever the nationality
4. Accept proof of vaccination for vaccines administered on board.

“It is only by making these decisions that the UK will finally start to catch up with most of the rest of the world, including the US and the EU,” the letter read.

“This is your last possible chance to save the UK travel and air transport industries and restore some semblance of public confidence. “

Bond and Cartwright cited Germany as an example. “Why does the UK always insist on only reviewing individual countries every three weeks? The Robert Koch Institute in Germany announced changes as needed, either when countries needed a higher level of risk or when data showed restrictions needed to be relaxed.

“Your intractable approach means travel agencies selling Africa lose not only the three weeks of bookings after each failure to remove us from the redlist, but bookings for the month following the next review date, as the public has failed. no confidence in sensible changes being made. “