-
Too soon to book holiday in UK or abroad, says Grant Shapps

Transport secretary’s view is another blow to Covid-hit travel industry
The transport secretary has told people in Britain not to book holidays domestically or abroad, in another blow to the UK’s embattled travel industry.
“People shouldn’t be booking holidays right now – not domestically or internationally,” Grant Shapps told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. It was too soon, he added.
Domestic and international travel companies have pinned their hopes for recovery on a return to something like normal service over the summer as the coronavirus vaccination programme allows people within the UK to emerge from national lockdowns.
Shapps said Boris Johnson would lay out on 22 February how the UK plans to lift lockdown restrictions but said it was not clear that holidays would be included in those plans because of uncertainty over the development of vaccinations and pressures on the health service.
International holidaymakers face the added complication of potential quarantines on arrival from some countries, amid concerns about the possibility of vaccine-resistant variants of Covid-19. The government has said that arrivals in the UK who lie about their travel history will be liable for prison sentences of up to 10 years, although the plans have been criticised as being heavy-handed.
Easing of restrictions on international holidays would be influenced by “not just the vaccination programme here but the vaccination programme internationally, because people will be going outside of our borders”.
Some travel companies have reported increased bookings from customers hoping to secure a deal, and, in many cases, leave the UK for the first time since March 2020.
On Tuesday, the Anglo-German tour operator Tui said it expected a return to international holiday travel this summer. Tui has put on 80% of its 2019 summer holiday programme for 2021, with Greece and Spain the most popular destinations. Those two countries are significantly behind the UK in terms of the proportion of people vaccinated.
EasyJet last month said it foresaw a “reasonable chance” of a good summer for the UK airline, while regulators banned an advertising campaign by Ryanair that said customers could “jab and go” this summer. The advertising regulator said it encouraged risk-taking.
source: Jasper Jolly
Levant
You May Also Like
Popular Posts
Caricature
BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
opinion
Report
ads
Newsletter
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates!