NEC Group backs easing of air travel quarantining
The NEC Group, which includes the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre, is backing calls for a more flexible approach to quarantining of air passengers.
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street and Birmingham Airport chief executive Nick Barton have called on the Government to ease quarantine restrictions on travellers arriving from abroad over fears of the damage it will cause to the region’s economy.
In a letter to Home Secretary Priti Patel, they have warned that the newly-implemented strict aviation quarantine rules will have a long-term detrimental effect on both the West Midlands’ travel industry and its business tourism sector.
The NEC Group venues see thousands of international business travellers and visitors through their doors each year and its chief executive Paul Thandi said: “Our economy must now be given as many chances as possible to recover. The 14-day quarantine serves to limit this.
"We need to strike a balance in aiding economic growth whilst maintaining our support for public health matters. Employing alternative measures for air travel would play a key role in this.”
Under the restrictions introduced last week, travellers arriving from abroad are ordered to spend 14 days in isolation, making many business and holiday trips unrealistic. This is of huge concern to both the airport, which has seen a 90 per cent fall in passenger numbers due to the pandemic, and the region’s successful business tourism industry which relies significantly on travel from abroad.
The restrictions are due to come under review later this month, and the Mayor and Birmingham Airport are urging the Government to adopt a more flexible approach, particularly with regard to those arriving from low risk countries or locations. Suggestions include offering testing on arrival, or the introduction of air bridges with key countries that have low transmission rates.
As well as the impact on both the tourism and business tourism sectors, there are concerns about the damage these measures will to do Birmingham Airport. The airport, which has already had to pause its ambitious £500 million expansion plans because of coronavirus, employs 7,000 workers in the West Midlands directly, and helps support a further 31,000 more across the region.
In 2018 tourism was worth £836m to the regional economy and the region’s success in attracting foreign investment has also been bolstered by its strong international travel links.
