I wholeheartedly welcome the government’s decision to reopen non-essential travel.
It’s about mechanics, dispatchers and security personnel, cabin crew, hoteliers, the people who supply the food and furniture to hotels, the maintenance workers and countless others in the industry – many of whom are based in the UK.
Like many in the arts and other industries, I had a sinking feeling – how am I going to pay my mortgage and support my child? It’s crushing to wonder whether your vibrant and diverse sector will ever recover.
Before the pandemic, it was the fastest growing industry in the UK and is predicted to be worth 10 per cent of UK’s GDP by 2025, supporting almost 3.8 million jobs here, and millions more around the world.
Though I back the government’s decision to allow travel, I don’t do so lightly; it was vital we locked down when we did, and if we’d done so more quickly, our road to recovery may have been swifter.
The list will be disappointing to some, given its limited scope – certainly a number of figures in the travel industry have had their say, but at least the door has been opened.
Grant Shapps’ limited green list is a start.