Tourism associations urge EU to replace quarantine with testing

25 associations representing aviation, travel and tourism sectors in Europe have joined together calling European Union to replace quarantine restrictions with testing for Covid-19.

In an open letter to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the associations pointed that their business is damaged by the ongoing lack of coordination and travel restrictions in Europe.

The group urged to replace quarantine restrictions across the EU with a common protocol for testing and help more than 27 million industry workers.

Among the signatories of the letter, there are many associations and organizations from the tourism sector, including representatives of airlines, airports, tour operators and hotels.

The letter refers to ACI Europe’s recent data showing the airport passenger traffic is is 70% less than 2019 for the first 2 weeks of September.

The letter contiues:

“This chaotic situation requires your immediate personal involvement. We are thus urging you to make this issue a top priority and calling on you to address this issue directly with heads of state and government”.

“We are therefore also urging you to ensure that the Commission takes the lead in the development of an EU Testing Protocol for travel and its implementation to avoid quarantines and re-open borders”.

Here are the associations that signed the open letter :

Airline Catering Associations (ACA)

Airports Council International Europe (ACI EUROPE)

Airlines International Representation in Europe (AIRE)

Alliance of Rail New Entrants (ALLRAIL)

Airport Services Association (ASA)

AeroSpace and Defense Industries Association of Europe (ASD)

Airlines for Europe (A4E)

Civil Air Navigation Services Organization (CANSO)

European Business Aviation Association (EBAA)

European Cockpit Association (ECA)

European Travel Agents ‘and Tour Operators’ Associations (ECTAA)

European Federation of Campingsite Organizations & Holiday Park Associations (EFCO & HPA)

European Regions Airline Association (ERA)

European Travel Commission (ETC)

European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF)

European Tourism Association (ETOA)

European Travel Retail Confederation (ETRC)

EU Travel Tech (ETT)

EuroGites (eurogites)

General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA)

Hotels, Restaurants & Cafés in Europe (HOTREC)

International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA)

International Air Transport Association (IATA)

International Road Transport Union (IRU)

Taxi Europe Alliance (TEA)