REVEALED: THE HOLIDAY PLACES SAFE TO VISIT
A LIST of safe holiday destinations has been announced – triggering a rush of bookings.
Millions freed from the
long lockdown can now head to Greece, Spain and other favourite hotspots.
Foreign Office guidance advising against all but essential travel internationally ends today.
This will also allow holidaymakers to travel to popular short-haul tourist destinations including France, Turkey and Cyprus.
And – from Friday – people either returning to or visiting England from 59 countries and 14 British Overseas Territories will not need to self-isolate for 14 days.
Confirmation finally came in an official list published yesterday, sparking an immediate scramble to book up bargain getaways.
Mainland Portugal is not on the approved list but the Portuguese islands of Madeira and the Azores made it.
Long-haul destinations including Australia, Barbados, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand and Vietnam also feature, but the US, Sweden, Mexico, Brazil and China do not.
Irene Hays, of Hays Travel, said: “This is huge.We know how important a family holiday is.
“It’s the one time in the year everyone can imagine themselves on a sunny beach or eating a pizza together at the marina.
“And for that to be able to happen in time for the six-week summer holiday – particularly this year – means so many people will be delighted. And we’re delighted too.”
Tui, which takes more than six million people on holiday each year, said it would restart services next Saturday.
Managing director Andrew Flintham said: “We’re pleased the Government has finally confirmed summer holidays are saved and we’re really excited to take our customers on holiday to some of their favourite destinations again.
“It’s a significant and positive step forward for the travel industry, which has been in hibernation since March.
“We look forward to starting to take people away again.”
An EasyJet spokesman said: “This is an important move in the reopening of aviation, which will support the wider UK recovery.
“It will allow our customers to look forward to their summer holiday and for many tourists to be able to visit the UK.
“While it is at an early stage, we have already seen customers respond positively.” Hays Travel, which is Britain’s largest independent travel agent, said its phones “had not stopped ringing”.
Managing director John Hays – Irene’s husband – said: “Yesterday’s announcement was great news.
“There was an immediate surge of demand for holidays.
“On Thursday we did 75 per cent of what we would normally do in terms of new bookings. And if that sounds small, bear in mind a month ago we were doing nothing. It’s fantastic news for everyone. Prices are great at the minute and with so many amazing deals we are expecting things to be extremely busy over the coming days.”
Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, has been a spokesman for Quash Quarantine, a campaign to end the 14-day quarantine rule.
He said: “The announcement opens the door to a wide range of exceptional deals which are now on offer from Britain’s travel industry. For the early birds there will be great deals available so I would advise getting in there quickly before prices start rising substantially.”
Online travel retailer lastminute. com said it had seen a 150 per cent rise in searches to Spain and Greece in June, just a four per cent drop compared to last year.
Holiday booking giant Expedia also said interest in Spain was significant.
Travel restrictions were put in place in early June to stop the further spread of coronavirus, prompting fears the annual holiday season would be scrapped altogether this year.
Research by consumer consultancy BVA BDRC showed 18 per cent of Britons will book a trip by the end of the summer. Nearly one in four said they intend to take a holiday by December.
Abta, the trade association for British travel agents, welcomed the “safe” list. A spokesman said:
“The Government announcement will be greeted with huge relief by the travel industry, which can now plan ahead and take summer holiday bookings.
“Travel businesses have been under enormous pressure since the start of the pandemic and the industry can now start to meet customers’ pent-up appetite for travel.”
The Department for Transport said the list would be kept “under constant review”. It added that approved destinations pose “a reduced risk to the public health of citizens”. But many people have been slow to book a hols abroad after mixed messages and delays from the Government, it was said.
Paul, from Quash Quarantine, claimed the travel industry could ultimately shrink by 30-40 per cent.
He said: “This is a masterclass in how not to communicate with the British people. It’s a national embarrassment, the way it has been handled.”