Search Travel Market Report

mainlogo
www.travelmarketreport.com
  • News
  • Tours & Packages
  • Cruise
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Destinations
  • Retail Strategies
  • Niche & Luxury
  • Well-Being Travel
  • Training & Events
  • Who We Are
    • Anne Marie Moebes
    • Brian Israel
    • Dan McCarthy
    • Denise Caiazzo
    • Marilee Crocker
    • Paul M. Ruden
    • Dori Saltzman
    • Kelly Fontenelle

The Last of the U.K.’s COVID Travel Rules Will End this Week

by Daniel McCarthy / March 15, 2022
The Last of the U.K.’s COVID Travel Rules Will End this Week

Photo: Shutterstock.com


The United Kingdom will officially wind down the rest of its COVID-19-era travel rules starting a 4 a.m. on March 18.

Starting then, all international travelers, whether they are vaccinated or not, will be able to enter the U.K. without providing proof of a negative COVID-19 test or completing a passenger locator form.

Secretary of State for Transport Ron Shapps confirmed the news on Monday, writing in a message that “these changes are possible due to our vaccine rollout and mean greater freedom in time for Easter.”

Travelers will still have to deal with tests coming back into their home countries, but no longer will they have to test in order to arrive in the U.K.

Previously in the pandemic, the U.K. required unvaccinated travelers to test prior to travel and then post-arrival in the U.K., while vaccinated travelers were allowed to travel test-free since late January. All travelers were also required to complete their passenger locator form.

Testing requirements, which have been in place largely since the pandemic started, have been seen as one of the major obstacles in getting consumers to travel again and return the industry to pre-pandemic levels.

Industry groups in the U.S. and Canada have been pushing for the removal of pre-departure testing for fully vaccinated inbound arrivals, including U.S. Travel, which partnered with other industry groups to urge the White House to move towards more normal travel earlier this year. Despite that push, there has been no movement in the U.S. as of yet, including on the face mask requirement, which was just extended into April.

In the U.K., those face mask requirements are also changing.

Airports in the U.K are gearing up to drop face mask requirements this week, including Heathrow Airport, which said on Monday that it will still recommend people wear masks, but will no longer require them “as society learns to live with COVID longer term.”

Major U.K. carriers, including British Airways, also said they would drop their face mask requirements onboard, but only on flights from destinations that are also dropping the requirements, meaning U.S. and Canadian travelers will still be required to wear face masks in flight for the time being.

More than 85% of the U.K. population aged 12 years and up have received two doses of a COVID vaccine, according to government data. Close to 92% have received their first dose and 67% have been boosted.

Comparably, the U.S. rate, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is 65% fully vaccinated, 77% with at least one dose, and 29% boosted. In Canada, a little more than 80% of the population is fully vaccinated, with close to 85% receiving at least one dose and a little over 46% boosted, according to Canadian government data.

Daily active cases in the U.K. have come down since reaching 275,000 in January—about 47,000 cases were recorded on March 14, which is an increase over the late February low of 27,000.

  59
  0
Related Articles
CDC Downgrades Canada COVID-19 Travel Risk Level
Travel, and Tourism, in Hawaii is Officially Back-to-Normal
Today’s American Traveler: What Travel Advisors Need to Know
Vaccinated Travelers Will Be Able to Enter New Zealand in May
CDC Lowers Cruise Ship Travel Warning Once Again
Another Destination Drops COVID-19 Travel Requirements
TSA Extends Mask Mandate Into April
Puerto Rico Is Dropping More COVID-19 Era Travel Restrictions
Ireland Drops All Remaining COVID-19 Travel Restrictions
What Is the Future of COVID-19 and Related Mandates?

MOST VIEWED

Brought To You By
  1. A&K Purchases Crystal Ships, Revives Crystal Cruises Brand
  2. European Countries Will Soon Start Requiring Inbound Travelers Pay a Fee Prior to Travel
  3. Travel to Italy Is Officially Back to Normal
  4. Viking Drops Onboard & Pre-Cruise COVID-19 Testing
  5. Three Cruise Lines Bring Masks Back in Alaska
  6. How Travel Advisors Can Cope With Chaos in Air Travel

MOST EMAILED

Brought To You By
  1. Travel to Italy Is Officially Back to Normal
  2. Report: U.S. to End COVID-19 Air Travel Testing Requirement
  3. European Countries Will Soon Start Requiring Inbound Travelers Pay a Fee Prior to Travel
  4. A&K Purchases Crystal Ships, Revives Crystal Cruises Brand
  5. Japan Could Boot Tourists Who Disobey COVID-19 Rules
  6. Viking Drops Onboard & Pre-Cruise COVID-19 Testing
TMR Subscription

Subscribe today to receive daily in-depth coverage, analysis of industry news, trends and issues that affect how you do business. Subscribe now for free.

Subscribe to TMR

Top Stories
Canada Extends Pause in Airport Random Testing for Fully Vaccinated to Mid-July
Canada Extends Pause in Airport Random Testing for Fully Vaccinated to Mid-July

Canada continues to remain flexible with its border measures. 

Read...
CDC Ups Dominican Republic COVID-19 Advisory to ‘High’
CDC Ups Dominican Republic COVID-19 Advisory to ‘High’

The Dominican Republic was one of two countries that moved up into the CDC's highest level outside “special circumstances." 

Read...
Silversea Adds Fly-Cruise Antarctic Voyages
Silversea Adds Fly-Cruise Antarctic Voyages

Demand for Antarctic voyages that bypass the Drake Passage is growing. 

Read...
European Countries Will Soon Start Requiring Inbound Travelers Pay a Fee Prior to Travel
European Countries Will Soon Start Requiring Inbound Travelers Pay a Fee Prior to Travel

The ETIAS permit will cost each applicant 7 euros and will be valid for travel to Europe for three years.

Read...
Bonaire Is Adding a Tourist Tax Starting on July 1
Bonaire Is Adding a Tourist Tax Starting on July 1

Bonaire, the Dutch Caribbean island, is adding a visitor entry tax for all travelers to the destination starting on July 1.

Read...
New Zealand Drops COVID-19 Test Requirement Ahead of Schedule
New Zealand Drops COVID-19 Test Requirement Ahead of Schedule

"The challenges pre-departure tests pose to visitors are now no longer outweighed by the public health benefits," New Zealand said this week. 

Read...
TMR OUTLOOKS & WHITE PAPERS
CP White Paper
Multi-Gen Outlook
Distribution Outlook (1)
New to Cruise Outlook
Expedition 2020
River Cruise Outlook 2019
View All
Advertiser's Voice
https://img.youtube.com/vi/H2Hju1tFuk0/0.jpg
Selling the Caribbean
About Travel Market Report Mission Editorial Staff Advisory Board Advertise
TMR Resources Webinars Calendar of Events
Subscribe to TMR
Select Language
Do You Have an Idea Email
editor@travelmarketreport.com
Give Us a Call
1-(516) 730-3097
Drop Us a Note
Travel Market Report
71 Audrey Ave, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
News|Leisure Travel|Land Vacations|Cruise|Canada Retail Strategies|Well-Being|Luxury|Training
© 2005 - 2022 Travel Market Report, an American Marketing Group Inc. Company All Rights Reserved | 243 South Street, Oyster Bay, NY, 11771 USA | Telephone (516) 730-3097| Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy