Travel sector stunned by outdated government travel advice

'Don't fight a 'new' phenomenon like omikron that is now spreading all over the world with old measures' is the motto of a now irritated travel umbrella organization ANVR.

While the infection rate in most countries is much lower than in the Netherlands and many countries around us are increasingly relaxing, our government is increasing the risk level for a number of countries today. The travel industry is furious.

“Understanding for this among our travel companies, which have not been traveling to destinations outside the EU for almost two years due to dissuasive travel advice from the government, is now hard to find. International studies, the World Health Organization, the European RIVM; they are all clear: the less pathogenic omikron is everywhere, so it no longer makes sense to impose travel restrictions,” said ANVR chairman Frank Oostdam.

Oostdam also indicates that the threshold-raising testing upon return to the Netherlands does not add anything if you have already been vaccinated and that this only creates unnecessary travel barriers, both for business travelers and holidaymakers.

The travel sector is therefore urging the government to adjust both the standards applied to travel advice and the previously promised expectation to change the orange color for many countries outside the EU 'soon'.

With the bizarre measures that the government has taken to date - in contrast to many neighboring countries that are implementing numerous relaxations - the travel industry is afraid of an unnecessary drop in bookings if the Netherlands clings frantically to 'old' measures.

Another stumbling block for young travellers, in particular, is the inability to get a booster, which many countries require to gain access to restaurants and museums, among other things. As a result, many school and study trips for young people will be stranded in the near future before they have left, while young people have already been remembered so much.

Here too, the ANVR makes an urgent appeal to the government: as a ministry, ensure that the booster requirements for young people are dropped at EU level. And as long as that hasn't been arranged yet; offers Dutch young people the opportunity - contrary to the advice of the Health Council - to choose for themselves whether they want to be boostered, according to the travel sector.