Traffic light travel is becoming the new normal. On Friday 21st May the Civil Contingency Authority (CCA) in Guernsey announced that Guernsey would be adopting a traffic light system for travel to the island from 1st July which would be equivalent to the UK system. This is welcome news to the whole community especially business travellers and marks some form of return to normality.
Whilst Guernsey has lived a ‘safe’ but very isolated existence over the last 14 months the severely restricted travel and lengthy isolation periods have all but stopped any kind of business travel to and from the island. Guernsey has slowly been opening up to the UK since April this year with some fairly complicated isolation and testing rules and a ‘travel tracker’ which requires completion for 14 days prior to entry to the island. You need to be rather desperate to get to the island to be bothered with all the requirements. It has really only been islanders who have needed to travel for medical or compassionate reasons who have travelled to and from the island since the pandemic began. Even those who have wanted to travel have been met with very few transport options, limited flights and ferry journeys available to book and a marked increase in fares.
Guernsey’s vaccination programme has been very successful with an equivalent percentage vaccinated to the UK but an even greater uptake amongst the community with very few people refusing the vaccine. I’m confident we will be one of the most protected places in the world once the vaccination programme has been offered to all.
Islanders will be very grateful for the return of more normal travel aligned with the UK traffic light system which will remove much of the confusion and assist with being able to meet up for both leisure and business purposes. The rest of the world will hopefully begin to earn green country status as they are able to achieve vaccine rollout and the COVID-19 prevalence reduces.
Many business travellers will return to our shores for usual board meetings held in person and ensuring the economic substance requirements are duly met. We will be delighted to welcome our clients back to the island and will enjoy the freedom to meet up with clients worldwide in due course. It is time to enjoy a less isolated island life once again.
