At the end of last week, it was announced that 80 leading figures from the UK’s tourism industry had written to home secretary Priti Patel calling for her to scrap the government’s 14-day quarantine period for international travellers which start next Monday, June 8.
The response from within the travel and catering industry has been so strong that a second letter from industry figures is being coordinated by UK travel specialists Red Savannah.
Signatories to the original letter include leading hoteliers Jeremy Goring, Rocco Forte, Amanda Hyndman [pictured], Thomas Kochs and Stuart Procter.
In part, the letter read: ‘The very last thing the travel industry needs is a mandatory quarantine imposed on all arriving passengers which will deter foreign visitors from coming here, deter UK visitors from travelling abroad, and most likely cause other countries to impose reciprocal quarantine requirements on British visitors.’
It also asks why the action is being taken now when restrictions were not put in place earlier in the year, when flights from countries with confirmed cases were able to land.
It added: ‘The government has done its best to suppress and control this invidious viral contagion, but it should not, and must not, exceed its mandate. The people of this country do not wish to be prevented from travelling.
‘The government itself has urged people to use their common sense in terms of their behaviour. Quite simply, it is time to switch the emphasis from protection to economic recovery, before it is too late. We the undersigned, therefore urge the Home Secretary to abandon the concept of mandatory quarantine and instead, champion an industry that provides not only a major economic contribution to the whole of the UK, but also such joy to so many people.’
Those who signed the first letter are:
Sir Rocco Forte, chairman and chief executive, Rocco Forte Hotels [pictured]
Henrietta Loyd, founder, Cazenove & Loyd
Geoffrey Kent, co-chairman, Abercrombie & Kent Group
Andrew Sutcliffe, QC, 3VB Chambers
Andrew Dunn, chairman, Scott Dunn
Tom Barber, co-founder and director, Original Travel
Henry Cookson FRGS, chairman and founder, Cookson Adventures
Oliver Brendon, chief executive and founder, ATD Travel Services
Edward Orr, chairman, Mr & Mrs Smith
Manfredi Lefebvre, co-chairman, Abercrombie & Kent Group
Victoria Williams Hooberman, director, Scott Williams
Derek Jones, chief executive, Der Touristik UK
Francis Torrilla, managing director, Jules Verne
Jennifer Atkinson, chief executive, Inspiring Travel Company
Rupert Longsdon, founder and chief executive, Oxford Ski Company & Oxford Private Travel
James Jayasundera, founder and managing director, Ampersand Travel
Joss Kent, chief executive, &Beyond
Edward Granville, director, Red Savannah
Nick Van Gruisen, managing director, The Ultimate Travel Company
Simon Leadsford, publisher, Conde Nast Traveller
Kerry Golds, managing director, Abercrombie & Kent
Tom Marchant, co-founder, the Black Tomato Group
Maymie White, director, Scott Williams
Glen Donovan, founder, Earth
Paul Cleary, managing director, Caribtours
Ted Wake, director, Kirker Holidays
Roz Webster, founder, Cream Travel
Mehra Dalton, founder and chief executive, Greaves Travel
James Merrett, co-founder, the Black Tomato Group
Pammy Goodman, travel editor, House & Garden
Kane Pirie, founder and chief executive, Vivid Travel
Lucy Cleland, editorial director, Country & Townhouse
Sarah Mason, managing director, Mason Rose Private
Serge Dive, founder and chief executive, Beyond Media
Ileana von Hirsch, managing director, Five Star Greece
Mary Ann Curtis-Green, managing director, Mahout
Andrew Loyd, co-founder, Loyd & Townsend
Rose Matt Smith, co-founder, the Black Tomato Group
Gemma Antrobus, managing director, Haslemere Travel
Alice Daunt, founder, Daunt Travel
Marina Gratsos, founder, Carpe Diem Luxury Travel
Judy Menier, founder, SJ Villas
Mark Hudson, chairman, Digital Health Intelligence
Michelle Jana Chan, travel editor, Vanity Fair
David Morgan-Hewitt, managing director, the Goring, London
Amanda Hyndman, general manager and vice-president operations, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park London
Michael Bonsor, managing director, Rosewood London
Bob Van Den Oord, managing director, the Langham London
Guillaume Marly, managing director, Hotel Café Royal, London
Jannes Soerensen, general manager, the Beaumont, London
Philip Barnes, regional vice president and managing director, the Savoy London
Aaron Kaupp, general manager, Jumeirah Carlton Tower, London
Andrew Batchelor, general manager, the Landmark London
Thomas Kochs, managing director, Corinthia London
Stuart Proctor, chief operating officer, Stafford Collection
Joanna Taylor-Stagg, general manager, the Athenaeum hotel, London
Kurt Macher, general manager, Shangri-La Hotel the Shard, London
Stuart Johnson, managing director, Brown's hotel, London
Kostas Sfaltos, general manager, Bvlgari hotel
Guillaume Marly, managing director, Hotel Café Royal, London
Paul Jackson, general manager, Claridge's, London
Jurgen Ammerstorfer, general manager, the London Edition
Philip Barnes, managing director, the Savoy London
Arnaud de Saint-Exupery, general manager, Hyatt Regency London – the Churchill
Sonja Vodusek, managing director, the Peninsula London
Knut Wylde, general manager, the Berkeley, London
Sandeep Bhalla, general manager, the Connaught, London
Sal Gowili, general manager, the Ritz London
Andrew Batchelor, general manager, the Landmark London
Bob Van Den Oord, managing director, the Langham London
Klaus Kabelitz, general manager, the Biltmore Mayfair
Frank Kenyon-Slaney, director, World Odyssey
Jeremy Goring, chief executive, the Goring, Lonfon
Huw Beaugié, founder, The Thinking
If you are a leader of a UK industry directly threatened by the imposition of a 14-day global quarantine on inbound travel and wish to highlight your concern please email Getgoing@redsavannah.com
