The Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Thursday that he will not rule out holidaymakers being allowed to travel abroad from July.
Speaking to This Morning programme, Hancock said he is a “little bit more optimistic” in allowing foreign travel, and he “absolutely wouldn’t rule out” foreign travel in July.
He said, “I am a little bit more optimistic than I was about being able to get some foreign travel back up. So that is one of the things where things have gone a bit better than expected.”
When asked if it was no longer out of the question for people to travel abroad in July, he replied, “I absolutely wouldn’t rule it out. We’ve got to proceed cautiously. We’ve seen what happens when this virus gets out of control. We will proceed cautiously and carefully.
“But I definitely wouldn’t say no and I know how important it is for some people.”
The hosts asked will the government rethink the mandatory 14-day quarantine rules, Hancock replied, “We are going to bring it in on June 8. We keep that under review. So in the same way that there is a three weekly review of the overall lockdown measures…we have a similar regular review for the quarantine rules.”
Adding, “We will keep watching and try to do everything we can to allow the relaxation of freedoms.”
In a letter the travel chiefs wrote, “Covid-19 is now under control and we commend the government for its handling of what was an extraordinary and unprecedented situation.
“However, the economic cost of the government’s action is yet to be seen, apart from the early indicators which paint a grim picture.”
The tourism and travel sector accounts for almost four million jobs across the UK, or 11% of the workforce.
The Spanish government have said that holidaymakers will be welcome back to their country “as soon as possible,” when safe to do so.
Foreign minister Arancha Gonzalez told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme,“We are hoping to get tourists back as soon as possible but we are also conscious that, when we welcome them, we want to provide the safest destination in Europe.
“We want to make sure when they come, they can continue to experience the amazing stay in Spain, whether they love sports or culture or cuisine or simply like our weather.
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