Travel opens up again after months of bans

TRAVEL between the UK and dozens of long-haul destinations such as Mexico and South Africa opens up from today.

Forty-seven countries were removed from the red list at 4am, meaning arrivals from those locations will no longer need to spend 11 nights in a quarantine hotel.

Meanwhile the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has lifted its advice against non-essential travel to a further 42 countries and territories due to the coronavirus pandemic.

This follows the removal of travel advisories to 41 locations last week. The changes make it easier for people to obtain travel insurance for trips to those destinations.

They are part of a new policy to stop advising Britons to avoid all but essential travel to non-red list countries on Covid-19 grounds except in “exceptional circumstances”, such as if the local healthcare system is overwhelmed.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has said this allows people to “exercise personal responsibility”, while Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has claimed “restoring people’s confidence in travel is key to rebuilding our economy”.

Countries affected by both the easing of travel advisories and the reduction in the red list include Argentina, Chile, Cuba, Indonesia, Mexico, Nepal, the Philippines, South Africa and Thailand.

The travel sector has blamed quarantine and testing requirements for limiting its recovery.

Just seven countries will remain on the red list from today, all in Latin America. They are Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, Peru and Venezuela. People arriving from those locations will still be required to enter a quarantine hotel.