More help needed for Norfolk's travel industry

Travel agents in the area are calling for financial help, now restrictions are starting to ease.

plane taking off
Author: Collette HowePublished 9th Jul 2021

Travel agents in Norfolk are calling for more financial help in the industry now restrictions are starting to ease.

It was announced this week that those who have been fully vaccinated against coronavirus will not have to quarantine on returning from amber list countries, starting from July 19th.

It’s already caused an increase in bookings for many agents, however some businesses are warning that with many of their staff still on furlough, there isn’t the work force needed to keep up with the demand.

Vicky Samwell is the Manager at Oyster Travel in Norwich: “The demand is there and the work needs to be done..”

“Regardless of whether passengers can travel without having to quarantine on the way home, we’re still not in a position personally to bring all of our staff back off furlough.

“It takes 5x the amount of work to do an amendment or a cancellation than it does to book an initial holiday, so the work is there for the staff to need to work… but the funds just aren’t coming in.”

The Government said more than one million workers came off furlough in the four weeks between the end of April and the end of May, which coincided with the start of restrictions being lifted and non-essential retail, restaurants and pubs reopening.

New figures show that 2.4 million people moved off the scheme between the end of February and the end of May as businesses reopened.

Around 2.4 million people remain furloughed or flexi-furloughed, down from a peak of nearly nine million at the height of the pandemic in May last year.

Changes to the scheme were introduced earlier this month, with employers having to pick up 10% of their furloughed workers’ salaries following the easing of coronavirus restrictions.

The furlough contribution from employers is due to rise again to 20% in August and September, with the scheme closing before October.

“The skies are opening up for travel. But it’s not opening up quick enough for travel agents”

Although the travel announcement was welcomed, Vicky tells us there’s a lot more they could have included- and what she would have liked to seen.

“I think the government need to remove the option of the pre-departure test for double jabbed passengers to return to the UK, and to remove the Day 2 PCR tests for those that are double vaccinated- because it’s an addition cost for passengers who are already fully vaccinated.”

“We haven’t had any tailored support, and that is still needed. But it is a step in the right direction.”

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