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Travel

‘Far too early’ for Britons to be thinking about booking summer holidays, vaccines minister says

Just in…

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BBCBreakfast / Twitter

Nadhim Zahawi said that British travellers should not book summer 2021 holidays yet.

Those looking forward to jetting off this summer are warned that it is still ‘far too early’ to be thinking about going away given the rate of the virus in the UK. 

When asked if it was too soon for the public to book holidays, vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi said:

“Absolutely. I think it’s far too early.

“There’s still 37,000 people in hospital with Covid at the moment. It’s far too early for us to even speculate about the summer.”

He later spoke to Times Radio where he said it was still ‘too early’ to know if summer holidays will go ahead. 

There will be a meeting with senior ministers held today to consider further travel restrictions including the possibility of requiring travellers to quarantine at a designated hotel.

It is not clear the exact details of such a measure including how long this would be in place for. 

“There will be an announcement on this issue later on today,” Mr Zahawi said.

BBCBreakfast / Twitter

The BBC reports that ministers are expected to approve the plan to require UK citizens to quarantine in a hotel if they arrive in the country from a high-risk country.

Speaking to Sky News, Mr Zahawi said: “We review our border policy like any other responsible country would – Germany and Canada did a similar thing in January.

“We’ve done that with the pre-departure testing that is now required to enter the UK and of course with passenger locator forms.

“There will be an announcement on this issue later on today, so I can only say to you that it is the right thing to do, because I am the vaccines minister, that as we vaccinate more of the adult population, if there are new variants like the South African or the Brazilian variants, we need to be very careful.

“We acted on those very quickly and of course dealt with travel from those countries, and from Portugal and elsewhere, rapidly so it is important we continue to review our border policy and an announcement will be made when a decision has been taken.

“And of course the industry itself will be engaged with heavily, including (Health Secretary) Matt Hancock engaging with the industry to explain the decision making at health, as well as of course the business department with the Business Secretary.”

Chief executive of Best Western hotel groups told the BBC that the hotel industry was ready to assist the government if they did opt for such a policy. He said the sector was ‘familiar and accustomed to managing Covid-positive customers in our hotels’. 

Mr Paterson added: “From the hotels’ perspective, we would have to treat each of these customers as Covid-positive, so we would have to have strong infection control and protocols around security in the hotel to ensure we can deliver safely.”

An announcement on this from the government is expected to be made on Wednesday. 

Travel

Jet2 coming to Liverpool Airport offering 20 destinations

The airline will operate seven exclusive routes from the city

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David Dixon & Phil Smith / Geograph

Jet2 has announced plans to fly from Liverpool John Lennon Airport for the first time, offering 20 destinations.

The travel company will fly out of Liverpool for the first time from next year, operating 54 weekly flights to 20 destinations, including Spain, Greece and Turkey.

The holiday provider will start operating services from the airport in March 2024. Seven of the 20 destinations are exclusive to Jet2, bringing new routes to Liverpool.

Liverpool will become Jet2’s 11th UK airport when the first flights take-off on March 28th.

David Dixon / Geograph

A fleet of four aircraft will fly customers to a wide choice of destinations.

The airline’s first summer programme will have 565,000 seats on sale. Its seven exclusive summer routes are to Gran Canaria, Menorca, Rhodes, Zante, Madeira, Paphos and Bourgas in Bulgaria.

Flights and holidays are now on sale and can be booked via the Jet2 website, by phoning the Contact Centre, or through a travel agent.

The move is expected create more than 200 new jobs, with positions available across flight deck, cabin crew, engineering and ground operations.

Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said the move ‘comes on the back of the enormous demand’ coming ‘from Merseyside and the wider region’.

Adding: “The announcement of our 11th UK airport reflects our long-term strategy to continue growing responsibly to become the UK’s leading and best leisure travel business.

“It also means significant investment in the region, with four based aircraft coming into operation and the creation of over 200 new jobs. 

“Between now and Summer 24, our focus is on ensuring everything is ready to launch operations, so that from day one we can provide customers from Liverpool John Lennon Airport the same award-winning service which has delighted millions of other customers from across the UK for so many years.”

Phil Smith / Geograph

John Irving, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, CEO called it ‘a great day for the airport and for the region’s holidaymakers’.

Adding: “It’s also great to have seven new routes available that we know will be popular with holidaymakers and for our local independent travel agents to be able to sell, with customers taking advantage of all the convenience and hassle free benefits of flying from Liverpool.”

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Travel

Disney is hiring staff in the North West to travel on their luxury cruise liners

Save for a deposit while travelling the world — a magical opportunity!

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@disneycruisline / Instagram

Disney is hiring youth staff members to work on their luxury cruise ships and set sail around the world.

If you love anything Disney and want to travel the world, are looking for a new career path or just simply want to get away from the humdrum of life, this unique role could be right for you. Disney Cruise Line is hiring for youth staff and it’s paying a minimum of £1,872 per month — you could save for a deposit on a house while having the time of your life!

If you’ve had experience and enjoy working with children, love Disney, and love travel, this job could be the perfect fit. Basic qualifications needed to apply for the role include: 

  •  3+ seasons (3 months each) of overnight or day camp experience
  • A minimum of 18 months experience working in a high-volume, fast-paced environment in recreation, resort, day care, classroom, or a before/after school care setting.
  • The candidate must be able to command the attention of a large group of children — up to 200 children at one time.
  • Must have strong English oral and written communications.
  • Bilingual or multilingual abilities are a plus.
@disneycruisline / Instagram

As well as travel, accommodation and a decent wage, perks of the job also include: company events, employee discount, free or subsidised travel, private dental insurance, private medical,  insurance, referral programme, store discounts, and wellness programmes.

Part of the job description says: “Interacts with and supervises children by providing a safe and entertaining environment. Provides set-up, clean-up and program support to Youth Entertainment Hosts during facilitated programs and activities. 

“Extensively cleans youth spaces throughout the day to uphold United States Public Health and company standards. Meets and greets all guests and could assist with onboard registration and check in/out process. 

@disneycruisline / Instagram

“Preps food trays for children during meal or snack periods. Spontaneously entertains large volumes of children in absence of planned activities.

“Occasionally facilitates and presents smaller-scale activities to groups varying in size, requiring the use of a microphone. Functions as Nursery Counsellor during high volume periods.”

You can set sail on a magical experience and reap the benefits of a ‘supportive team’ and make it your ‘home from home’, as the website says about career life working on the cruise ship: “Join us at sea and receive unique benefits and the opportunities for growth you need to live out your dreams.”

If life at sea sounds exciting to you, you can read more about it and apply for the role here.

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Travel

The record-breaking Northern waterfall that’s only accessible twice a year

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David Oxtaby & Paul Green / Flickr

There’s a record breaking waterfall you can visit in the North of England but it’s only accessible twice a year.

Situated in the Yorkshire Dales, near Clapham — about an hour and a half’s drive away from Manchester — Gaping Gill is definitely worth a day trip out to see. It’s a really unique waterfall as it spills deep into the belly of a natural cave from the surface.

Although this Fell Beck waterfall is 110 metres tall — twice the height of Niagara Falls — it’s quite difficult to see and it is only accessible to the public twice a year. Those who are lucky enough to embark on this combined waterfall and cave adventure are lowered into the huge chamber on a winch by one of the two the local pothole clubs.

It’s certainly an adventure not for the faint-hearted and definitely made for daredevils as you’ll be lowered down from the surface until your feet touch the floor at the bottom of the cave — where, as your eyes adjust, you’ll suddenly find yourself surrounded by a breathtaking setting.

Phil Catterall / Wikimedia

The Gaping Gill chamber is 129m long, 31m high and 25 m wide, making it large enough to fit York Minster cathedral inside — we hope you’re not afraid of heights! When you look up, all you’ll be able to see is light pouring in from the cave’s opening resting on the slopes of Ingleborough.

For just £20 daredevils can be lowered into this underground world and marvel at its natural wonder. It’s only possible to descend into the cave two times a year: once in May – operated by the Bradford Pothole Club and again in August – operated by the Craven Pothole Club.

Gaping Gill was formed by thousands of years of erosion by the Fell Beck stream, which flows from the flank of the 2,373 ft Ingleborough mountain — the second highest peak in the Yorkshire Dales. In 1985 famous French caver Edouard Martel was the first person to make a successful attempt on the Main Shaft of the cave using wood and rope ladders. Martel stayed in the Main Chamber for about two hours and completed a remarkably accurate sketch plan.

Paul Green / Flickr

You can hike to Gaping Gill on a well marked but rough trail and you can only book a winch ride down once you get to the tent. Bookings can not be made in advance and there can be a bit of a wait but you’ll be given a decent time. The Craven Pothole Club says about this awe-inspiring Northern gem: “At first the darkness hides the bulk of this vast cavern from the visitor gliding down the Main Shaft in the winch chair.

“But as eyes slowly become accustomed it is possible to pick out a gentle arc of rock curving upwards to form a vaulted roof some 150 feet above. Nearby, two columns of water crash to the floor; fragmented to a myriad of droplets they whip the air into violent winds.

“Finally, aided by subdued artificial light the chamber appears, longer than it is wide and with a level floor of water washed pebbles, sand and silt. A walk in the pool of light provided by a guide’s light takes us first to the western end of the chamber with its silt floor and burbling stream, and then on to the foot of the East Slope. A glance back here reveals that the Main Chamber is indeed one of nature’s wild places.”

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