James Martin, Director of Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said:

“Whilst the removal of the amber plus category and the addition of further countries to the green list will be welcome news for businesses in the travel sector and beyond, now is the time for the government to fundamentally simplify the traffic light system for international travel.

“Businesses need the confidence and clarity provided by a system which places countries in either green or red categories, removing the ambiguity of the amber designation, which now relies on very different rules for the vaccinated and non-vaccinated.

“The government should also step-up efforts to drive down the cost of tests required by the system; limited progress has been made in this area so far and the cost remains a significant barrier to both business and leisure travellers.

“It is also vital that government takes steps to protect airport capacity, which will be crucial for the economic recovery. Providing a 12-month Business Rates holiday and reinstating VAT rebate scheme for the sector should be considered immediately to ensure our airports remain viable.”