Why do people want to go on holidays abroad this summer? (Not travel to family)

[WombatChocolate]

Given we have put in huge efforts to reduce the virus in this country over many months, I struggle why people (not the holiday industry) are so keen to whizz off for a couple of weeks of sun, when we know the virus is surging in parts of the world.

What is this about?

The only thing I can think of which makes any sense to me is that they have already booked, or had a booking carried forward from last year and fear losing the money. Somehow they would rather go than sacrifice the money and that has led to large numbers wanting to go.

We all know that mutants will come into the country through travel and it’s impossible to keep them out, so why do people want to go so much?

Is it that they just love a sunny holiday so much they don’t think about the possible consequences? Is it that they do t want to lose the money? Is it that they are jabbed and so don’t believe their travel can have any consequences? Is it that they don’t know about levels of virus around the world? Or is it that because the holiday industry wants to open up (very understandably) they have been influenced by them?

I really understand people who have family abroad, how difficult the travel issue is for them and I do understand why they want to go and often feel they must go. I’m not asking about that. It’s just the standard holiday I’m interested in, because I don’t really get it.

Anyone who has thoughts about it, or is keen to go and feels like saying why.....many thanks in advance for your thoughts.

[quote jgw1]@eileengc I think the comparison with tobacco is an interesting one. Of course 20 years ago it was completely unreasonable for anyone to suggest that people should not smoke in buildings, because it was perfectly legal to do so.
Indeed one of the main reasons that smoking has been permitted to such an extent for so long is that it made a lot of money for a small number of people who spent a fortune on lobbyists and funding politicians. The similarities with what is driving the current governments decision making is striking.[/quote]
Or maybe the ability to travel is a fundamental right in a democratic society, and shouldn't be restricted any longer than strictly neccessary?

@jgw1 - not really a similarity with smoking, unless you wish to argue that coming into close contact with strangers is addictive, damaging to human health and has no discernible benefits other than to provide a profit to big business.

[quote Walkaround]@jgw1 - not really a similarity with smoking, unless you wish to argue that coming into close contact with strangers is addictive, damaging to human health and has no discernible benefits other than to provide a profit to big business.[/quote]
Some people have expressed quite strongly that they need a holiday abroad. I am sure that smokers need to have a cigarette.

In the current situation going abroad for a holiday is highly likely to be harmful to someone's health, certainly was last summer.

@IcedPurple since in your view travel is fundamental right, may I ask what you are doing to ensure the billions of people who will in their lifetime never travel outside their country are able to?

[quote jgw1]@IcedPurple since in your view travel is fundamental right, may I ask what you are doing to ensure the billions of people who will in their lifetime never travel outside their country are able to?[/quote]
The right to be able to leave your country is what Iced is getting at.

How is going abroad any more harmful to someone’s health than it would be to go up to London to meet friends in the pub?

To go abroad you need to provide at the very least negative pcr tests in both directions and quarantine on the way back.

Also “abroad” is a very big place. There’s a big difference between going youth hosteling in Rio and driving to a self catering gite in the Pyrenees.

[quote jgw1]@IcedPurple since in your view travel is fundamental right, may I ask what you are doing to ensure the billions of people who will in their lifetime never travel outside their country are able to?[/quote]
It's about having freedom in a democratic society to be able to leave the country if you want to.

Some people have expressed quite strongly that they need a holiday abroad. I am sure that smokers need to have a cigarette.
In the current situation going abroad for a holiday is highly likely to be harmful to someone's health, certainly was last summer.

They are both legal activities. So your juxtaposition is a non sequitur. Morals don't come into it, the law is there, legal to travel abroad on holiday abroad after 17 May as long as you comply with testing and quarantine restrictions. It's a pity if that agitates people morally, but that's too bad. Lots of legal activities agitate people morally.

@Eyevorbig0ne

Sun, warm sand and sea Paragliding over olu deniz White water rafting Messing about in the pool, wrestling over the inflatables Unusual music Fresh, delicious cocktails in a beautiful glass Amazing, fresh cooked food, breads. Soups, fish, meats, fruit sslads etc. Not made by me. Fluffy cotton robes and white towels that I dont launder Treating myself to a mojito and some perfume or lipstick on the flight Eating a pret sandwich at the airport (only time I eat pret). Swimming in the warm sea gazing at the mountains and lush surroundings.I clearly remember when I close my eyes. Rollerskating cocktail waiter Old mamma hand making Turkish flatbread over the metal dome Evenings with mist of exotic fragrances from flowers or pipes. Great evening shows Tingling, glowing skin

Excellent value too.

UK has alot to offer good value is not amongst them.

This !

All of this but not wearing a mask during all these wonderful activities

[quote jgw1]@IcedPurple since in your view travel is fundamental right, may I ask what you are doing to ensure the billions of people who will in their lifetime never travel outside their country are able to?[/quote]
I'm not sure if you're deliberately misreading my post or not. Sure, not everyone has the means or the will to travel abroad, but in a democratic society, citizens generally have the right to travel.

Do you believe the right to leave your country is not a fundamental right, outside of an emergency?

Maybe posters don’t remember the old eastern bloc where people had to defect and risk their lives to leave totalitarian regimes.

Seems pretty darn fundamental to me.

@WouldBeGood

Maybe posters don’t remember the old eastern bloc where people had to defect and risk their lives to leave totalitarian regimes.

Seems pretty darn fundamental to me.

Amen!

“ Some people have expressed quite strongly that they need a holiday abroad. I am sure that smokers need to have a cigarette.
In the current situation going abroad for a holiday is highly likely to be harmful to someone's health, certainly was last summer.”

@jgw1 - do you deliberately or accidentally fail to grasp a point? If you think coming into close contact with strangers is addictive, harmful to human health and of no discernible benefit other than to provide profit to big business, then you clearly also think restaurants should remain closed, and theatres, and non-essential shops. All addictive and of no discernible benefit other than to make profit. Either that, or there is bugger all link to smoking.

@WouldBeGood

Maybe posters don’t remember the old eastern bloc where people had to defect and risk their lives to leave totalitarian regimes.

Seems pretty darn fundamental to me.

Yes indeed. When I was a kid I remember being horrified hearing that people in Eastern Europe were forbidden from leaving their countries and that their govts even put up walls to stop them from doing so.

Not saying anyone should be jetting off to Manaus right now, but I don't see anything wrong with travel within a European 'traffic light' system, with testing and other measures in place.

All of this but not wearing a mask during all these wonderful activities

I hope your holiday won’t be in Europe, where masks are compulsory even for a walk in some places 😬

@WouldBeGood

Maybe posters don’t remember the old eastern bloc where people had to defect and risk their lives to leave totalitarian regimes.

Seems pretty darn fundamental to me.

Which is why I suppose the UK has a policy of welcoming refugees and asylum seekers and making it easy and straightforward for them to travel here.

@jgw1 - and I imagine you thoroughly approve of the UK government approach to refugees.

Which is why I suppose the UK has a policy of welcoming refugees and asylum seekers and making it easy and straightforward for them to travel here.

You think it's easy and straightforward for people to leave countries with these lovely closed borders . They just book a seat on a commercial airline.

@osbertthesyrianhamster

Which is why I suppose the UK has a policy of welcoming refugees and asylum seekers and making it easy and straightforward for them to travel here.

You think it's easy and straightforward for people to leave countries with these lovely closed borders . They just book a seat on a commercial airline.

Well if it is not easy for people to leave countries, and/or not easy for people to enter the UK then we should all be campaigning to make sure that it is easy because I am told it is a fundamental right to do so.

I am told it is a fundamental right to do so.

So you needed a parenting forum to tell you that the right to leave your country is fundamental in a democatic society? If it weren't for MN, you'd think it perfectly fine for governments to stop their citizens from leaving?

"Well if it is not easy for people to leave countries, and/or not easy for people to enter the UK then we should all be campaigning to make sure that it is easy because I am told it is a fundamental right to do so."

Exactly - for example by writing to our MPs about the prohibitive costs of PCR tests which ensure that travel can only be for the very wealthiest.

We are hoping to go to France as we did last summer. We'd go by tunnel, so in our own car. We drive to our family home and stay there, cycling, walking, swimming outdoors, might have one meal out, in a restaurant garden. Then drive to a self catering place we know well and has been properly cleaned etc. Same sort of thing for that week. Drive home. There's a big difference between that and going by plane to stay in a hotel. We're well aware of the situation in France and if we can't go that's fine. If we're allowed then we will.

@IcedPurple

I am told it is a fundamental right to do so.

So you needed a parenting forum to tell you that the right to leave your country is fundamental in a democatic society? If it weren't for MN, you'd think it perfectly fine for governments to stop their citizens from leaving?

Its just a little bit confusing for me, because the UK seems to currently have a policy of making it very difficult (even pre-covid) for people from other countries to exercise their fundamental right to come to the UK. Anyhow I shall follow the sensible suggestion of another poster and write to my MP about the prohibitive cost of not only pcr tests, but in fact flights as well and suggest that there is a new policy of free flights for all, so they can exercise their fundamental rights.

Its just a little bit confusing for me, because the UK seems to currently have a policy of making it very difficult (even pre-covid) for people from other countries to exercise their fundamental right to come to the UK.

I'm not surprised you find it confusing.

Nobody, other than citizens, has a fundamental right to enter the UK or any other country. However, in a democratic society, people usually do have the right to leave unless they have committed a crime.

So yeah, you are a tad confused.

Anyhow I shall follow the sensible suggestion of another poster and write to my MP about the prohibitive cost of not only pcr tests, but in fact flights as well and suggest that there is a new policy of free flights for all, so they can exercise their fundamental rights.

Toe-curlingly bad sarcasm is not a substitute for rational arguments.

@IcedPurple

Its just a little bit confusing for me, because the UK seems to currently have a policy of making it very difficult (even pre-covid) for people from other countries to exercise their fundamental right to come to the UK.

I'm not surprised you find it confusing.

Nobody, other than citizens, has a fundamental right to enter the UK or any other country. However, in a democratic society, people usually do have the right to leave unless they have committed a crime.

So yeah, you are a tad confused.

Anyhow I shall follow the sensible suggestion of another poster and write to my MP about the prohibitive cost of not only pcr tests, but in fact flights as well and suggest that there is a new policy of free flights for all, so they can exercise their fundamental rights.

Toe-curlingly bad sarcasm is not a substitute for rational arguments.

Ok, so I have a right to leave the UK, but it would be perfectly fine for every other country in the world to say that I don't have a right to enter them. Where should I go?