HOLIDAY ISLANDS HERE WE COME!
Summer getaways saved as Balearics, Malta and Caribbean hotspots go on green list Double-jabbed set to visit amber countries — without isolating on return
BRITONS were finally given hope of a summer getaway last night as ministers relaxed curbs on foreign holidays.
In a significant expansion of the green list, the Government gave the go-ahead for quarantine-free holidays to the Balearic Islands, Malta, Madeira and parts of the Caribbean from next week.
And in a major breakthrough, fully vaccinated Britons will be able to travel to medium-risk amber countries later this summer without having to self-isolate on their return. The move will effectively turn the vast majority of countries around the world into ‘green’ destinations for double-jabbed travellers. There is no formal start date yet, but it could be as early as July 19.
Last night’s dramatic announcement came after ministers faced huge pressure from the travel industry to relax the restrictions on foreign holidays or face a jobs bloodbath and
thousands more businesses going bust. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, who is understood to have pushed hard for the changes, hailed the ‘real sign of progress’ and said it was possible ‘thanks to the success of our vaccination programme’.
The announcement was also broadly welcomed by MPs and travel industry chiefs, although they called on ministers to activate the revamped amber list rules for fully vaccinated Britons as soon as possible.
The green list expansion, and the prospect of quarantine-free amber list travel, is likely to trigger a frenzy today as holidaystarved Britons rush to book up flights and hotels. However, most of the countries placed on the green list last night have been given ‘watchlist’ status, which means they are ‘most at risk’ of turning amber again and having quarantine reimposed.
Also, the optimism could yet be undermined by Germany and France pushing the EU to force all British tourists to quarantine if they arrive in a European country. Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron appeared to back the move yesterday amid fears over the Indian variant.
The Government’s announcement last night means holidaymakers will be able to enjoy quarantine-free travel to hotspots such as Malta, Madeira, the Balearic Islands and some Caribbean islands from next Wednesday.
Of those added, Malta was the only destination to go fully green.
The 16 other destinations and archipelagos added, including Barbados, Antigua, Bermuda, Grenada and the British Virgin Islands, were also placed on the ‘green watchlist’. This is designed to alert travellers that a country is at risk of moving from
‘We will make this happen’
green to amber. However, sources said there was every chance these destinations will stay green as their Covid data was heading in the right direction.
It means the number of destinations which Britons can visit quarantine-free jumped from 11 to 28. Scotland and Northern Ireland both said they were following England by adding the same destinations to the green list.
Travel firms last night predicted a bookings stampede, with operators saying they would ramp up flights to the new destinations. However, industry chiefs also called on Foreign Office travel advice to be aligned with the traffic light system so travellers can secure insurance. The Foreign Office was last night still advising against nonessential travel to the Balearics.
Ministers also confirmed a major new plan for reopening international travel by allowing fully vaccinated people to return from amber countries without the need for quarantine on return.
As it stands, those returning from these destinations must selfisolate at home for at least five days on return. However, this will be dropped under a revamped traffic light system due to take effect from some point ‘in the summer’, with further details published next month. It is thought it will most likely start in August, but could be as early as July 19.
Under the new regime, fully vaccinated Britons returning from amber list countries will have to take only one pre-return test – which could be a lateral flow test – and another postthis arrival, ‘gold- standard’ PCR swab on the second day after their arrival. These are identical to the current rules for those returning from green countries.
It will make holidays to these destinations much cheaper, as travellers currently have to pay for at least three tests when visiting amber destinations.
Government advice urging people not to go on holidays to amber destinations will also be dropped, as revealed by the Mail this week.
However, people not fully jabbed will still have to self-isolate on return when the new system kicks in – meaning younger people who have yet to receive both jabs will miss out on the benefits.
It was also unclear last night whether children would be allowed to travel to amber list countries quarantine-free along with their parents and families.
Last night’s announcement provides much-needed hope to the beleaguered travel industry.
Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye said: ‘It is very positive news that ministers are following the science and that fully vaccinated people will be able to travel safely without quarantine later this summer. We will work with the Government to make this happen as soon as possible and let Britain fly!’
British Airways chief Sean Doyle added: ‘While we welcome the additions to the green list, it’s essential we get travel back up and running as soon as possible. We cannot afford another missed summer. The plans to allow vaccinated travellers to move freely summer are critical and we would urge the Government to work urgently with the aviation industry to get this in place.’
Tory MP Huw Merriman, chairman of the transport select committee, said: ‘These changes are a move in the right direction. The additions to the green list offer more potential for quarantine-free holidays for UK travellers. But like an oasis just out of reach – travel to more than 150 countries on the amber list is still unnecessarily difficult.’
He said the Government must enact the revamp of amber list rules ‘for the start of the July summer holidays’. Six destinations were also moved to the red list last night, including the Dominican Republic, Tunisia and Haiti.