Travel rules eased for 47 nations

THE Scottish Government has announced 47 countries will be removed from the red list for travel from next week.

It means fully vaccinated Scots will be able to avoid quarantine rules when arriving south of the Border from the likes of Brazil, Mexico and South Africa from 4am on Monday, October 11.

Red list rules will still apply for Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.

It has also been announced that the recognition of full vaccination status will be extended to a further 37 countries, with India, Turkey and Ghana included.

Scottish Transport Minister Graeme Dey said: “This change to travel restrictions recognises the success of the Scottish Government’s vaccination programme.

“It’s important we continue to exercise caution which is why a red list of countries will be retained, monitored and updated following a review. If evidence and circumstances change, we will not hesitate to reintroduce restrictions.

“But the steps we are seeing now pave the way for growth in the tourism sector who we have listened very carefully to and engaged with widely.”

The update comes shortly after the UK Government announced similar changes to the travel rules.

Announcing the changes to England’s travel rules, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the move will “provide stability for passengers”.

He added: “With winter sun around the corner, we’re making it easier for loved ones to reunite, by cutting the number of destinations on the red list, thanks in part to increased vaccination efforts around the globe.”