The disclosures prompted calls by MPs and travel industry chiefs for a rethink of the traffic light system that requires all travellers to take PCR tests on their return to the UK irrespective of whether they are vaccinated or not.
Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, said: “We don’t ask people visiting Blackpool or Cornwall to take expensive PCR tests or complete laborious locator forms, and we shouldn’t be treating overseas travel any differently to domestic tourism.
“The current travel restrictions have seen the UK become a total outlier compared to the rest of Europe and resulted in a summer season in name only, costing the UK billions in lost trade. The EU probably can’t believe its luck.”
Henry Smith, Tory chairman of the all-party Future of Aviation Group, said the Government should replace PCR tests for double-jabbed travellers from amber and green countries with cheaper lateral flow versions and only commission a PCR test if they were positive.
“The fact that many international destinations have a lower Covid risk than the UK means we need a more pragmatic approach to the complex and costly test regime which is making travel prohibitively expensive for too many and damaging aviation sector recovery, jobs and our wider economy,” he said.
The analysis by Suzanne Lugthart, an independent research strategist, compared travellers testing positive on arrival in England and the Office for National Statistics gold standard infection survey, which tests a nationally representative sample of people each week.
It showed that just 0.7 per cent of travellers returning from green list countries tested positive – almost half England’s rate of 1.36 per cent. Green countries were below the South East (0.9 per cent), the east of England (1.02 per cent) and the South West (1.05 per cent).
The rate for amber list travellers of 1.3 per cent was below the West Midlands (1.38 per cent), the East Midlands (1.4 per cent) and London 1.4 per cent.
Ms Lugthart said: “Following government advice and taking that holiday in the UK in the last three weeks will have put you at a higher risk of contracting Covid than travelling to any amber or green country.”
