UK, Boris Johnson announces 'free everyone': here's when travel will resume
The Covid-19 pandemic has pushed us to look to tomorrow, ignoring the present. Sacrifices are made with a view to [...]
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The Covid-19 pandemic has pushed us to look to tomorrow, ignoring the present. Sacrifices are being made with a view to a more serene near future. In Italy, for example, there has been much talk about the need to shut everything down and protect ourselves at Christmas, for a 2021 characterized by a sudden vaccination, the bearer of normality.
It has, thus, become increasingly important to provide an "expiration date" to the population. It is too bad that this system has failed in Italy, given the inability to keep to the given words. In contrast to the United Kingdom, where Boris Johnson took responsibility by setting the "free everyone" at the May 17, 2021.
What will happen in May in the UK
The British are, at present, grappling with a strict lockdown. The government has intervened harshly to limit contagions as much as possible, taking into account the risk posed precisely by the English variant. This is now well known in Italy, unfortunately, and is characterized by a greater capacity for contagion.
All of this does not, however, prevent us from looking to the future and planning to get out of this condition of total limitation. It is all the result of a vaccination campaign that is proceeding with optimal timing. Immunization figures are encouraging, while elsewhere there is a fight over the sudden decrease in supply.
What will happen, then, on May 17, 2021 in the United Kingdom? In just over two months the British citizens will be allowed to travel. Needless to say, how all this has led to an uncontrolled rush to book airline tickets. The desire to fly around the world again is high, as recorded by a recent study by Trivago. Having received a vaccine also allows one to see the doors of other countries open with total freedom, without the risk of mandatory quarantine. One's updated health passport will be enough to overcome the barriers imposed everywhere today.
The rush of bookings has focused mainly on Spain and Greece. Many will stay in Europe, then, going for sun, crystal clear sea and well-deserved relaxation. The website of Easyjet recorded a 630% increase in bookings compared with the previous week. Ticket purchases increased by 337%. Here are the most searched destinations ever since Boris Johnson's announcement:
- Malaga
- Alicante
- Palm
- Lighthouse
- Crete
Jet2 recorded, however, an increase in bookings of 1000% in just 24 hours. Positive signs for the tourism and transportation industry after the very hard hits it has suffered for the past year.
Easter thus appears to be the last major holiday set to see airlines suffer. Recovery will be underway shortly thereafter, in the hope that it will not affect only the United Kingdom.
CUSTOMER UPDATE - 23.02.21 pic.twitter.com/H7Ygc8TSya
- Jet2tweets (@jet2tweets) February 23, 2021
The vaccine passport
At the last European Council, there was a lengthy discussion of the vaccination passport. Angela Merkel explained how all countries agree on the importance of a digital document that can certify that the vaccine has taken place: "The goal is to have a passport in place by the summer, so as to save the tourist season. However, the document will have to be accepted by all European countries."
All of this explains the reasons why reservations are mainly about Europe. There is concern that an international agreement may not be so sudden. Different is the talk within the continent, where the time frame should be cut to the bone for the good of the whole community.
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