3 April 2023 Update

Travel to England rules

When you travel to England, you:

do not need to complete a UK passenger locator form before you travel
do not need to take any COVID-19 tests before you travel or after you arrive
do not need to quarantine when you arrive

This applies whether you are vaccinated or not. It includes people who are transiting through England.

16 November 2022 Update 

Let’s Do London campaign provides £289m boost to the capital

Tourism in London continues to rebound.  In fact, London’s biggest-ever tourism campaign, #LetsDoLondon, led by Mayor Sadiq Khan, has generated an additional £289m of spending and is estimated to bring an additional 600,000 visitors to London from other parts of the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and the United States.

Sadiq launched his Let’s Do London campaign last year to support the capital’s tourism industry after the devastating impact of the pandemic and travel restrictions saw the number of overnight stays in the capital more than halve. Prior to the pandemic, London was the third most visited city on the planet, with the thriving tourism sector accounting for as many as one in seven jobs and contributing almost 12 percent of the capital’s gross domestic product. Visitors to London also went on to spend more than £640m in local economies outside of the capital.

…

2022 has been an exceptional year for  London with the UEFA Women’s EURO championship final, the 50th Anniversary of Pride in London, the opening of the pioneering ABBA Voyage show at a custom-made theatre in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, a series of special events to mark the 25th anniversary of Shakespeare’s Globe, and the return of Notting Hill Carnival and the Formula-E London Grand Prix.

The Elizabeth Line has also opened this summer, giving visitors a new high-speed route across the city and to Heathrow Airport. 2023 will include the Coronation of King Charles III in May at Westminster Abbey, Major League Baseball returning to London Stadium, and the 10-year anniversary of London Tech Week.

The Mayor’s Let’s Do London campaign will continue to promote the capital in the coming months, including highlighting free and low-cost offers and events, while the Mayor and London & Partners continue to support the sector with their London 2030 Tourism Vision which sets out a resilient, inclusive and sustainable future for London.

24 January 2022 Update 

UK Open for Travel with All Restrictions Removed for Eligible Vaccinated Arrivals

Great news! The UK government has announced that from 11 February 2021, fully vaccinated travellers will no longer have to test on arrival into England.  This news is so very welcome all across the industry and marks another big step towards fully seamless travel for holidays, business, and reconnecting with loved ones. It’s the perfect time to book that trip you’ve been thinking about!

• From 4 am on 11 February all testing requirements will be removed for eligible fully vaccinated arrivals, with only a Passenger Locator Form (PLF) now required.
• Arrivals who are not recognised as fully vaccinated will only need to take a pre-departure test and a PCR test on or before day 2 after they arrive in the UK.
• Children aged 12-15 in England will be able to prove their vaccination status or proof of prior infection via a digital NHS COVID Pass from 3 February for outbound travel.
• Travel changes come in ahead of the February half term, and follow the success of the booster programme.

For the latest information related to travel and the Coronavirus (COVID‑19) on the UK government website.  Also, plan your trip to London by working with one of our knowledgable London Blue Badge Tourist Guides.

13 May 2021 Update 

Let’s Do London Campaign

The recently re-elected Mayor of Greater London Sadiq Khan has launched a ‘Let’s Do London’ campaign to promote the capital as a major world tourist destination once again. Blue Badge Tourist Guides aim to play a major part in the re-opening of tourism in London.

The campaign and events programme, which was announced at William Shakespeare’s famous Globe Theatre in Southwark, aims to kick-start the capital’s economy and will bring together London’s world-class hospitality, culture, nightlife, and retail venues. ‘Let’s Do London’ will be the biggest domestic tourism campaign the capital has ever seen and will aim to help London’s economy get back on its feet as COVID restrictions are eased.

7 May 2021 Update 

London Reopening

With the Government on target to offer the adult population of the United Kingdom a first dose of vaccine by the end of July 2021, Blue Badge Tourist Guides are already getting back to work. Some international travel should resume in May, and hotels, museums, leisure attractions, pubs, cafes, and restaurants are expected to reopen indoors. Most attractions will have substantially reduced capacity, which makes pre-booking extremely important. Your guide can add value to your trip by knowing what to book and when.

People will soon be able to meet in groups of up to 30 outdoors, so now is the time to start arranging a family reunion or a fun day out. If you hire a Blue Badge Tourist Guide for a tour, they will help plan your day so that it falls in line with current government advice.  Blue Badge  Tourist Guides have prepared guidelines on keeping you safe.

23 July 2020 Update 

Covid-19 Guidance for Tour Guiding

In these uncertain times, people considering taking a guided tour in London and beyond may understandably have concerns about their health and safety. But with the UK’s professionally qualified and highly trained Blue Badge Tourist Guides, you will be in extremely capable hands.

As part of their thorough general training, Blue Badge Tourist Guides are experts in effective and sensitive group management techniques, on streets and at tourist sites, churches and museums. In addition, as members of Guide London/Association of Professional Tourist Guides, they are following the Covid-19 Guidance for Tourist Guides developed in conjunction with the Institute of Tourist Guiding, the British Guild of Tourist Guides, and the Driver-Guides Association.

18 March 2020 Statement 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Statement

London’s Blue Badge Tourist Guides, members of Guide London/Association of Professional Tourist Guides are acting in the best interests of visitors and locals alike by restricting our work in line with the latest advice from Public Health England. Furthermore, most tourist attractions, including museums and galleries and many pubs and restaurants, are closed. This is because the UK government has advised against all inessential travel as they work to contain COVID-19 and minimise community spread.

To stay up to date on the latest travel advice for the United Kingdom, visit the UK Government website which is being regularly updated. From a health perspective, we recommend seeking guidance from Public Health England and the World Health Organization.

If you are currently in London and have concerns about the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on your existing travel plans, please check with your airline, tour operator, cruise line or other transport and accommodation providers as applicable. Individual providers may also have their requirements for customers or passengers to meet.

That said, it is essential in these atypical times for us all to stay safe, calm, and positive. We are optimistic that through collective effort, travel will once again resume allowing visitors the opportunity to discover and experience all of the fantastic places in London. So please continue to explore our website, which is packed full of fun facts and ideas for experiencing London and beyond.

We look forward to welcoming you back and sharing London’s thrilling stories, pageantry and sights just as soon as we can.