Leaders split over vaccination status Ian Taylor


Industry leaders are divided on calls for the introduction of travel vaccination certificates and Covid health passports, with some senior figures ruling them out as others demand their adoption. European tourism association


Etoa dismissed calls for travellers to show “proof of vaccination” as “bad policy and not scientifically supported” last week. Etoa insisted: “It’s not a practical


measure for border control. Vaccination may not prevent an individual transmitting the virus.” Yet speaking on a Travel Weekly


webcast, Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer suggested: “We could end up in a situation where either you need a Covid test or you demonstrate you’ve been vaccinated. If you


haven’t been offered a vaccine or you don’t want the vaccine, you may have to demonstrate you’ve had a negative test.” David Scowsill, former head of


the World Travel & Tourism Council, told Travel Weekly: “It’s difficult to see a worldwide programme, agreed by all governments, tracking whether people are vaccinated. “I see no prospect of any kind of


global documentation, electronic or otherwise, around vaccinations. That just won’t happen.” He argued: “The short to


medium-term [answer] has to be around PCR testing and a 72-hour [pre-departure] process and each country will take its own decision on what it wants to do.” Industry commentator Paul


Charles, chief executive of The PC Agency, warned a Covid health


Ski operators turn attention to sales for next winter


Samantha Mayling


The UK ski market has shifted focus to selling winter 2021-22 holidays as prospects for departures this season look increasingly unlikely. However, the sector reports


strong pent-up demand for next winter, according to bosses on a Travel Weekly webcast. Joe Ponte, chief executive of


Inghams and Esprit Ski parent Hotelplan UK, said that late last year


6 4 FEBRUARY 2021


he had hoped to get customers to the slopes in February and March 2021. Last week, Hotelplan cancelled departures until April 2. “It’s simply not going to be


possible to safely conduct ski holidays in March,” he said. “If we can get some people away


in April, we will, but we’ll only do it if we can do it as safely as possible.” Ponte said about 60% of


Hotelplan customers are booking for next season, with 2021-22 sales “100% up from where they ordinarily


passport “would put up barriers to travel”, and said: “One of the reasons we see so many trials [of digital passports] is there is no agreement.” Iata is developing a digital TravelPass “to ensure people


BA’s VeriFly


travelling are either vaccinated or tested”, which it plans to roll out by the end of March. The association has also urged the EC to support a common European Digital Vaccination Certificate. However, EU president Ursula


von der Leyen ruled that out until “the time is right”, saying: “Documentation of vaccination is a medical necessity. [But] what we use this certificate for must be considered carefully. We need a thorough debate and consensus.” Iata director general Alexandre


de Juniac also made clear: “We’re not asking for mandatory vaccination for travellers. We are recommending mandatory testing.” British Airways was due to begin trialling a mobile health passport,


VeriFly, on flights to the US this week. i Get Social, page 21


Alex Herrmann Travel Weekly’s Lucy Huxley


Simon McIntyre


Joe Ponte


would be”, with capacity “almost half sold” due to a combination of rebookings and new bookings. Simon McIntyre, general manager


for ski at Iglu.com, reported similar trends. “People will, at the drop of a hat, go skiing this season if they can,” he said, adding that some “diehard” skiers had managed to depart in December for the Swiss slopes. “We are considerably up for next


year, and we’ve seen in the last six weeks a real pick-up in demand for next season,” he said.


Alex Herrmann, UK and Ireland


director at Switzerland Tourism, said Swiss resorts opened this winter, but only for local skiers, and said there were summer ski options in the country. He said the tourist board would


begin marketing to international markets soon. “People are thinking about winter [2021-22] now so we should be in front of people now,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons why we are doing a lot with the travel trade.”


travelweekly.co.uk


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