Holiday surge expected after travel rules change - BBC News

A surge in holiday bookings is expected after the government announced on Friday that international travel rules were being simplified in England.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the travel traffic light system was being replaced with a single red list.

And fully vaccinated people will no longer need a pre-departure test before returning from non-red list areas.

Travel firms said they had already seen an uptick in bookings and expected a busy weekend.

Alan French, chief executive of travel firm Thomas Cook, said October half-term bookings were three times higher than in August and he expected this figure to increase as a result of the changed system.

Andrew Flintham, managing director of holiday company TUI UK, said he had already seen "an uptick in bookings for Turkey in October" and expected a boost in customer confidence with the new rules.

The Scottish government said it would also drop the traffic light system but would not follow England in removing the pre-departure test requirement for the fully vaccinated returning from non-red list countries.

The decision to diverge from England's rules has been criticised by Edinburgh Airport, which said the move would "further curtail Scotland's aviation and travel industries in their recovery".

Airport Operators Association chief executive Karen Dee said the easing of restrictions should encourage more people to travel over the winter, but urged ministers to go further.

EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren said it was a "welcome step forward" which would make travel to Europe significantly easier although there was more that needed to be done.

Amber list scrapped in overhaul of travel rules.