The government has declared that starting Friday, France would lift its restrictions on individuals traveling from the United Kingdom.
Travelers who have been vaccinated will no longer require a compelling cause to enter France and will not be required to self-isolate once they arrive.
All people coming, however, will be forced to have a negative Covid test 24 hours before leaving the UK.
Jet2 reported a “sharp” increase in airline bookings to ski resorts as a result of the announcement.
On December 18, France imposed the limitations in an attempt to halt the spread of the Omicron variety.
Non-vaccinated individuals will still require a compelling cause to enter France and will be required to isolate for 10 days upon arrival.
Covid-19 infections are on the rise in the country. According to Johns Hopkins University, there were a total of 368, 817 new cases and 341 deaths on Thursday.
The adjustment has been well received by both vacationers and the travel industry.
Melissa Hamblett from Gloucester has had to reschedule a trip to Disneyland for their son Max’s birthday five times since they first scheduled in 2020.
“Our son is in school right now and is unaware of the update,” she explained. “I’m sure he’ll be overjoyed.”
Having to constantly postponing has been “very upsetting,” she added. “I was certain that it would happen again. I’d had enough of raising my hopes.”
Eurostar said it will boost the number of its trips in the coming weeks as a result of the adjustment, while Brittany Ferries termed it a “huge relief.”
“I can only hope that this is the final border closure of the Covid problem,” said Christophe Mathieu, the boat company’s president.
“Thousands of Brittany Ferries passengers have been inconvenienced, and millions of pounds in revenue have been lost as a result of harsh border restrictions.”
Around 17 million British citizens visit France each year, according to the ABTA, which represents travel companies. It is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the UK, according to ABTA.
“Thousands of tourists visit for ski getaways at this time of year, so this will come as a big comfort to consumers who have holidays scheduled there in the coming weeks and have been waiting for news,” ABTA stated.
“The French government has yet to provide additional information on admission criteria, such as the laws that would apply to youngsters. Travelers should keep an eye on the Foreign Office’s travel warnings.”
“This is the wonderful news that skiers and snowboarders have been looking forward to, and the rise in bookings for ski flights has been both fast and quick,” Jet2’s CEO said.
France strengthened its limitations earlier this month, requiring those who can to work remotely and restricting public gatherings to indoor events. Long-distance eating and drinking are prohibited, cafés and bars can only provide table service, and nightclubs are closed.
The French Senate adopted a contentious bill on Thursday, requiring people to be completely vaccinated in order to access a variety of places, including pubs and restaurants. It also eliminates the option of presenting a negative test in order to get entry.
On Saturday, thousands of people demonstrated against the pass, with many of them outraged at President Emmanuel Macron, who has declared he wants to “piss off” unvaccinated individuals.
In total, 12.6 million people in France have been infected, with over 127,000 deaths.
