Surge in Irish holiday inquiries to US after move to ease travel ban

Irish-based travel agency Tour America says its phones have been ringing off the hook since the United States announced a lifting of the blanket travel ban for foreign visitors from November.

Liz Wright, manager of Tour America, said her office was inundated with enquiries since US president Joe Biden’s announced on Monday that restrictions first imposed by his predecessor Donald Trump 18 months ago would be eased within weeks.

“Our phones haven’t stopped. It is crazy,” said Ms Wright, putting the rush down to pent-up demand and long-postponed holiday bookings.

Although the exact date for eased travel restrictions has not yet been announced, Ms Wright said the White House has given travellers the confidence to book for Christmas and 2022.

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“There are people who have changed their holidays three or four times. People are happy to book now for summer next year,” she said, adding that Orlando was still their top destination for families.

European travellers, including those from Ireland, will be allowed to enter the US only if they are fully vaccinated and undergo testing and contact tracing.

White House chief medical adviser Dr Anthony Fauci told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Tuesday that he did not expect there would be an issue for people who have been vaccinated with AstraZeneca, even though it had not been approved for use in America.

Children who are not eligible for a jab are expected to be exempt from the vaccine requirement.

The news of America’s reopening to European visitors has been welcomed by Dublin Airport operator DAA. A spokeswoman said the green light for vaccinated travellers to fly to the United States will prove a “timely boost for transatlantic travel in both directions”.

Dublin Airport was Europe’s fourth busiest transatlantic hub, she noted, and its strategic position as a hub between North America and the European Union had been “hard won” with airline partners.

Since travel restrictions were lifted on July 19th the number of Dublin flights to the US has increased by 29 per cent, while UK flight frequency has risen by 23 per cent to 305 flights per week. Services to continental Europe have increased by 8 per cent to 831, according to DAA statistics.

Passenger volumes to and from North America were down 77 per cent in August compared to 2019 levels, with 111,000 people travelling on transatlantic routes during the month.

Aer Lingus continues to fly a “significantly reduced” schedule across the Atlantic, a spokeswoman for the airline said on Tuesday. The schedule remains under constant review, with officials considering all factors, including the lifting of the US travel ban on EU citizens, she said.

The airline marked the moment by announcing a September sale on thousands of seats to the US.

Paul Brandon, head of corporate affairs with the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA), said Ireland’s aviation recovery has been slower than its European neighbours on the continent, a stall he puts down to the importance of American routes to this island.

“There is a clear correlation between the US routes and our recovery,” he said, adding that the lifting of the blanket ban was a “positive development” for Irish-US travel links.

“This is an important first step for building back up those ties,” he said.