Already abroad travel insurance

Consumer confidence is everything for the UK travel trade and these new hotel quarantines – necessary as they are in the fight against mutant Covid strains – are going to dent it. So it’s absolutely crucial that the Government does not allow this strategy to remain open-ended. Britain’s holiday and aviation industries are in a desperately parlous state and need to know the timeline for a clear exit route, so they can make plans. Likewise, the public needs solid assurance from Downing Street that it will do everything possible to allow summer holidays to go ahead safely - once the vaccination programme has kicked in - and they can book with confidence. What really does not help are TV news appearances from junior ministers saying ‘don’t book a summer holiday’. We are still in the depths of winter and there are many secure, flexible booking options available for the peak season. Why make unnecessary blanket statements that simply trample all over that consumer confidence? … [Read more...] about ‘Britain’s travel industry is in a perilous state – it needs help… now’

Like so many others, the coronavirus has robbed travel influencers of their livelihoods. International travel is almost impossible and advertising partners have drastically scaled back their orders. Many of them now advertise fashion, sandwich spreads or mail-order companies. But some influencers carry on regardless. Clients around the world are using them and their immense influence to market travel destinations ― especially during the COVID crisis. Travel influencers promote travel to high-risk areas Like the Gulf emirate of Dubai. It relies on social media stars to attract vacationers ― after all, it wants to become the "world's leading tourist destination," in the words of the tourism authority's website. Influencers receive numerous benefits in Dubai. In return, they are supposed to persuade people willing to travel to book their vacation in the desert city despite the coronavirus pandemic and recent scandals about human rights violations . Dubai's tourism authority did … [Read more...] about Travel influencers and the COVID crisis

THE NEW Covid vaccine app is being trialled in the next two weeks on routes between London and Singapore, with hopes to launch more widely soon after. Created by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the app, which will store evidence of a negative coronavirus test as well as proof of vaccinations, has raised hopes of summer holidays resuming. Nick Careen, the industry trade body's senior vice president for airport passenger cargo and security, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that "quite a few" governments have shown an interest in the app. Asked whether UK passengers would be able to use paper records as proof of vaccination or would need to upload digital evidence, Mr Careen said: "The chances are it will be a combination of the two. "Speaking specifically for the UK, there have been discussions and there have been some announcements in terms of digitising, and there is a digital record through the NHS of your vaccination regardless of how it is being … [Read more...] about Boost for holidays as new vaccine passport app for international travel launches in next two weeks

British Airways passengers can now buy a discounted Covid-19 test kit to take abroad, which they can use ahead of their return to the UK. Under the current UK travel rules, anyone arriving in the UK will need to show proof of a negative Covid test taken within 72 hours of departure - which leaves travellers having to find somewhere abroad to get a test. However, British Airways is offering discounted antigen kits from Qured for £33, which passengers can buy before they travel. Passengers can order the kits to their UK address, which are designed to be portable so passengers can take them abroad. They can then schedule a video call with one of Qured's professional health advisors for when it's time to administer the test, so that they can be guided through the process and check that it's done correctly. Qured says that the verified results can be available after 20 minutes, and customers with a negative test will be able to download a 'fit to fly' certificate for their … [Read more...] about British Airways passengers can now buy £33 rapid Covid tests to take abroad

A family-of-four could end up paying an extra £20 on long-haul flights from the UK due to a tax increase as part of the Budget 2021. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak unveiled the Budget on Wednesday, and revealed that there will be an increase in the Air Passenger Duty (APD) tax on long-haul routes. The move comes despite airlines having called for them to be scrapped. Air Passenger Duty is the tax which airlines pay for every passenger flying from the UK. This is usually absorbed within the cost of your flight ticket. The new tax increase affects long-haul flights only; short-haul rates will remain frozen. As part of the budget, this will increase by £2 per economy ticket on long-haul flights (from £80 to £82), meaning a family-of-four could pay an extra £8. Meanwhile, there will be a £5 increase (from £176 to £181) to the APD on premium, business and first class cabins, meaning a family-of-four could end up forking out an extra £20. However there is a silver … [Read more...] about Families could pay £20 extra on long-haul flights as Air Passenger Duty increases