A Chill Vacation Wind Blows Across Europe
Europe's airlines, hoteliers and tour operators fear abrupt changes to coronavirus travel rules by governments are killing their chances to salvage something of a wrecked vacation season.
The British government's sudden decision Saturday to add Spain to its list of "at-risk" countries, forcing tens of thousands of Britons already holidaying in Spain to quarantine for 14 days on their return and upending plans for tens of thousands of others scheduling vacations, has dealt a massive blow to hopes that the travel industry might be able to recoup some of its massive losses from the pandemic.
Britain and its European neighbors only recently lifted bans on overseas travel for leisure in a bid to return to some semblance of normality. They had come under fierce lobbying by the continent's desperate airlines and travel firms to do so.
"This is going to cause absolute chaos for travel firms as they are at peak season now," said travel consultant Paul Charles.
