Relief at the prospect of summer holidays

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s road map for easing coronavirus restrictions states that hotels can reopen and foreign travel will be permitted from May 17 at the earliest.

Overnight stays in self-contained accommodation that do not require the shared use of facilities will be allowed from as early as April 12.

Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, who co-founded the Save Our Summer campaign, said this was “the news the travel sector really wanted”.

He went on: “I’m sure virtually everyone in the travel sector will be pleased with the greater clarity and a timeframe of May for enabling those who’ve been vaccinated to travel overseas.

“By then, there will be over 16 million people eligible to travel abroad to see family, or for business or leisure, in a safe and responsible way.”

Mr Charles said the 850 firms who backed the Save Our Summer campaign will “welcome the Prime Minister’s boost to confidence”.

He went on: “It means more consumers can be reassured that their 2021 summer trip can take place, or they can get a refund or refix their travel date.

“They can book knowing that this summer will be even safer than last.

“We will need to see the finer details in the future reviews for the sector’s restart but the Prime Minister’s comments are certainly far more positive and realistic than those made by some ministers just two weeks ago.”

Earlier this month, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said foreign holidays will remain banned until “everybody” has had a coronavirus vaccine.

His comments sparked an angry response from the travel industry, which accused him of undermining consumer confidence.

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