ANVR reports in a press release that the travel world has been practically completely shut down for more than 7 months and threatens to lay off many of the 27 million Europeans who work in the travel sector; of which more than 20.000 in the Dutch travel world. That is why more than 20 European travel industry organizations, airports and airlines are now urgently calling on Ursula Von der Leyen, President of the European Commission: 'Replace quarantine restrictions with an EU test protocol for travelers.'

Frank Oostdam: 'We are one of the most affected sectors, so it is good that we as a European travel world are now joining this together. If ANVR we have been asking for clearer travel advice for much longer. But if it continues like this, 1 in 3 people will lose their job in our sector, while the consumer would love nothing more than going on holiday; of course with due observance of the correct health measures. Something has to be done to get the sector going. '

The European travel industry, with more than 5.000 member companies and their employees, in an open letter urged Von der Leyen to end the persistent lack of European coordination in the field of travel advice, divergent travel restrictions and an EU test protocol for travelers. 

So we urge you to make this issue a top priority and urge you to discuss this issue directly with the Heads of State or Government.

The travel sector indicates that this is the only way to prevent many travel professionals from being unemployed at home, wonderful companies to go bankrupt, borders to remain closed, limiting (business) travelers and countries whose economies partly depend on tourism to sink even further.

The 20 European organizations also point out to Von der Leyen that the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) advises countries not to have extreme travel restrictions if they are neither risk-based nor proven effective, because community transmission already exists is. And that is the case throughout Europe. The letter, signed by representatives from across the tourism and travel industry and their employees from airlines, airports, railways, travel agents, tour operators, hotels, campsites, holiday parks, taxi companies, tourist offices, etc., ends with the cry for help: 'We hope that the EU won't let us down '.

Also read: Quarantine measures impede the restart of aviation