How Will Leaving The European Union Affect Your Holiday?

There’s going to be a lot of change in the United Kingdom in the wake of the decision to leave the European Union, but holidaymaking may not be hit as hard, or as quickly, as you might expect.

Leaving the European Union will affect international travel, but the exact nature of the changes won’t be known until new agreements are forged as part of the exit negotiations. These negotiations will take at least 2 years, and as per the official ABTA travel advice, European and non-European travel will remain unchanged in that period.

Most holidaymakers who pass through Blue Bay Travel are embarking on long-haul non-European travel, so you’re unlikely to see any major changes as a consequence of leaving the European Union. The main thing to bear in mind is the exchange rate, which will affect holiday prices and the cost of living overseas. We’ve broken down the travel advice for non-European and European travel, so you can see exactly how leaving the European Union will affect your holiday.

“Negotiations will take at least 2 years, and as per the official ABTA travel advice, European and non-European travel will remain unchanged in that period.”

Non-European Travel

How will non-European travel be affected?
Legal requirements and entry specifications will remain unchanged. However, the instability of the British Pound will increase the price of a long-haul holiday. The majority of contracts for westward long-haul travel are based on US Dollars, so a weaker exchange rate will push up prices. The best way to lock down your costs is to choose an all-inclusive holiday: everything’s included in the price of your package, so you can fix your spend at the point of booking. We’re freezing our prices for as long as we can to help you find your next great escape, and you can see some excellent all-inclusive options here.

Are travel requirements changing?
Most of our holidaymakers are travelling to the Caribbean or the Indian Ocean. Leaving the European Union will not change the logistics of travelling to these regions. Any visa and ESTA requirements will remain in place, and duty-free limits will remain the same. You can see a list of entry requirements for our long haul destinations here.

Will my passport still be valid?
Yes. You’ll notice that your passport states “European Union” at the top of the front cover, but that will not affect your passport’s validity. Most of our long-haul destinations require at least 6 months’ validity on the return date of your holiday. So long as you meet the minimum passport validity requirements (and satisfy all the entry requirements) you’ll be free to travel as you intended.

“The best way to lock down your costs is to choose an all-inclusive holiday: everything’s included in the price of your package, so you can fix your spend at the point of booking.”

European Travel

How will European travel be affected?
Until the United Kingdom officially leaves the European Union, which will take at least 2 years, European travel arrangements will not change. Holidaymakers can still move freely between the UK and the EU to the same extent they could before the referendum. European Health Insurance cards remain valid and air passenger rights remain in place. Post-exit travel will be subject to agreements made during negotiations to officially leave the European Union, to be implemented no sooner than 2 years from now.

Are travel requirements changing?
Until we officially leave the European Union, entry requirements and visa conditions will not change. When you arrive at your European destination, join the same line at the airport as you did prior to the referendum, even if that line is for EU citizens. Likewise, the free movement of goods between EU members will still apply to your duty-free shopping. When we exit the European Union, no sooner than 2 years from now, these aspects of travel will have been renegotiated and will be subject to new agreements.

Will my passport still be valid?
Yes. So long as you meet all the relevant entry requirements, hold a valid passport, and are legally entitled to leave the United Kingdom, you can travel as intended. This will remain the case during the 2 year exit negotiation period that will determine the specifics of post-exit travel documentation. While it’s likely that Great Britain will begin issuing new passports that drop the “European Union” statement from the front cover, the current consensus is that new passports will be issued on the expiry of currently valid passports.

“So long as you meet all the relevant entry requirements, hold a valid passport, and are legally entitled to leave the United Kingdom, you can travel as intended.”

Where next?

We’ll update you on any changes to international travel as they’re announced, but that’s unlikely to happen any time soon.

If you’re still looking for your next holiday, keep looking. If you’d like to see some all-inclusive options to keep your costs in check, click that helpful blue button.

Leaving the European Union should not diminish the joy of travel. The world’s a big place, and there’s still every reason to keep discovering the countless curiosities of Planet Earth. Never stop the journey, Holidaymaker.