‘Confusion is an understatement’: Travel agent slams Stormont foreign holiday advice

This comes after an Alliance MLA, health committee member Paula Bradshaw, cancelled a planned trip to Italy in light of the official advice from Stormont.

The devolved administration currently advises against all non-essential international travel, but the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office has put exceptions in place for its advice for countries deemed low-risk – which includes popular holiday destinations such as France, Spain and Italy.

Meanwhile, flights from Northern Ireland to popular destinations continue to depart on a daily basis.

Sandra Corkin, from Oasis Travel, said: “A bit of confusion around the rules is an understatement. People want clarity. They want to know why it’s different here than it is on the mainland.

“Why are the holiday flights going and they’re not asking you to quarantine, and yet they’re advising against it. Confusing doesn’t come close to it.”

DUP MP Sammy Wilson, meanwhile, accused the Northern Ireland Health Minister Robin Swann of “making a meal” of the rules and advice on international travel.

“The rules are quite clear,” he said.

“The (UK) government has said that people are free to go to certain countries.

“The Foreign and Commonwealth travel advice is to help people make their own informed choices.

“It’s only because of the health minister and the advisors for Northern Ireland making such a meal out of all this that people are being caused unnecessary distress and worry.

“To be quite honest, given the way in which the minister and his advisors are treating it – they have taken enough freedoms away from people. If people want to go on holidays and take the risk of getting sunburned, that is up to themselves.”

On July 9, the Executive agreed to end quarantine requirements for those arriving in Northern Ireland from low to medium risk countries.

Mr Wilson said: “Clearly there’s low risk because you don’t need to quarantine, yet we’re being told we shouldn’t go anyway.

“In the face of that chaos, how are airports, travel agents and families meant to plan?”

Ms Corkin, from Oasis Travel who have branches in Lisburn, Bangor, Belfast and Holywood, said business has begun to pick up again since the decision to end quarantine requirements was made, but she called for clarity on the rules.

“Definitely, since lockdown, we saw that people were either changing their holidays to next year or they were cancelling,” she told the News Letter.

“But since quarantine was lifted we’ve seen an upturn in business for people travelling either this month or next month.

“I know that the (Northern Ireland-specific) advice is still against non-essential travel but, of course, a lot of people deemed the lifting of quarantine as a sign that they could go ahead and there are of course a lot of flights going out to the holiday resorts.

“So we have seen, since the ninth of July, that people have decided to travel at the end of this month or next month, and we would not have been getting any business like that at all during lockdown.

“The thing is, it’s still a fraction of the people who would normally travel but it is a positive sign.

“I went to Spain myself last week and the flights – both going there and going back – were fairly busy. I was very confident when I was out there. The boundaries are very clear over there and I actually did feel very safe because they did enforce the social distancing. They seem to be ahead of us on that and they’re very, very well organised.

“I think everybody’s a bit apprehensive but I would like to go back again, definitely. It’s all been very positive.”

Asked about how the rules are being interpreted by Northern Ireland holidaymakers, she said: “A bit of confusion around the rules is an understatement. People want clarity. They want to know why it’s different here than it is on the mainland.

“Are we supposed to be going or are we not?”

Mr Wilson also questioned how any ban on non-essential foreign travel could be enforced.

“Apart from the confusion created by this mixed messaging, one has to question how it can be enforced. Is there an intention to have police on the steps of planes demanding evidence that an individual’s trip is essential?

“Of course, it is always right for the government to make laws for the safety of the public but those laws should be based on good evidence, be consistent and be enforceable.”

He added: “The minister must urgently clarify if the Executive’s advice prevents people from going on holiday, despite his announcement that people can fly to over 50 countries without quarantine. If he is indeed going down the route of restricting people’s freedom’s further, then he must explain how this will be enforced and how his department will compensate those who have been affected by a poorly thought-out announcement made less than two weeks ago.”

A spokesperson for Belfast International airport said air connectivity “is essential for local business and tourism”.

The spokesperson continued; “The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s website lists all of the countries covered by the air-bridges which allows for non-essential travel.

“Those travelling for business and leisure, both inbound and outbound, are advised to check with their airline beforehand regarding in-flight measures in place to tackle Covid-19. The safety and well-being of passengers and staff remains our number one priority and we have already implemented a broad range of effective hygiene and safety measures at the airport.”