ARE we all going on a summer holiday?

It’s the burning question for millions. Now our peerless travel editor navigates you through the sea of confusion

RYANAIR boss Michael O’Leary is not often seen as a consumer champion, but he spoke for many when he branded the Government’s plans for the tourism industry ‘idiotic’.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps added fuel to the fire by saying that a ‘blanket’ 14-day quarantine rule for arrivals to be introduced from next month will include Britons returning home.

This was exactly what travel companies and holidaymakers alike did not want to hear – believing that it sends out the message that holidays are over.

So, amid all the confusion and mixed messaging, let’s try to shed some light...

What’s the Government’s travel strategy?

THIS is a massively important question, given that the outbound travel industry contributes over £37billion a year to the UK economy, supporting 500,000 jobs.

Wait and see is the official policy, hence the growing frustration. The Prime Minister – on the advice of scientists – is terrified of a second spike in the Covid pandemic and wants to see how the lifting of restrictions in other countries works out.

Travel companies are furiously lobbying ministers, looking for clarity and a road map for the future... but they aren’t getting either.

Didn’t Boris say that Britain and France would exclude each other from quarantine?

APPARENTLY, we all got the wrong end of the stick following the PM’s talks with Emmanuel Macron last week. Those travelling to and from France will not be excluded after all – but some people, such as lorry drivers, will be spared two weeks of quarantine.

I have a holiday booked in Italy for the middle of July. Is it best to cancel?

NOT necessarily. Right now, the advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is to avoid all non-essential travel – but that could change.

Italy certainly hopes it will. More than 3million of us seek out la dolce vita in one way or another each year and Italians are desperately keen to have us again as soon as possible.

The country is not operating at full throttle just yet, but beaches finally started to reopen at the weekend and many restaurants, bars, hairdressers and other shops will do likewise in the next few days. In early June, a 14-day quarantine period is due to be scrapped.

Where else can I go to enjoy the Mediterranean sunshine?

GREECE is a good bet. The country has escaped the worst of the coronavirus pandemic (with just 1 5 deaths, compared with almost 35,000 in the UK) and, given that it derives a fifth of its income and a quarter of its jobs from tourism, an absence of British holidaymakers will spell financial disaster for its already beleaguered economy

The Greek islands have been in lockdown since March but are due to open again this month. Even hotels will back in action on July 1 – but don’t expect any breakfast buffets. Sunbeds could also be nailed into the ground to allow for socially distanced tanning.

What about Spain or Turkey?

BOTH countries are taking a hard line, while talking about a possible shift in policy in July. Spain is fearful of a second wave of the disease, and so – until the end of June at the earliest – British arrivals will have to go into quarantine for two weeks, followed most likely by two further weeks of quarantine back home. Turkey also has a 14-day quarantine, and has not said when this might be lifted.

If I’m renting a villa in Spain or Turkey, does staying there count as quarantine?

YES. There’s nothing to stop you taking up residence at your villa and quarantining there – but watch how you go. It wouldn’t be much fun to end up in a Turkish prison if the authorities see you out and about. Remember Midnight Express.

If I’m returning from abroad, can I just head back to my house and work from home?

YES – but you’re supposed to stay indoors. That being said, are police really going to keep watch from noon till night to make sure you don’t pop out to Tesco?

Are villa companies still offering summer holidays?

YES – but with caution. Vintage Travel, for example, is not asking for the final balance until two weeks before departure, at which point it should be clear whether the holiday can go ahead. If not, Vintage will offer a later booking or full refund, including the initial 20 per cent deposit.

Can I get travel insurance?

THAT won’t be easy at all. Mainstream insurance companies won’t want to sell

you a policy while the current FCO advice on travel is in place, and you are highly unlikely to get cover for the possibility of catching Covid-19. There are exceptions, however. One is The Greek Villas, a company that has a new policy in place with Lloyds of London for guests which does include coronavirus.