JUST four of the countries included on the "green list" will allow Brits into the country without quarantining.
The list, revealed on Friday, includes 12 destinations that have been deemed low-risk, and won't require a 10-day self-isolation period when returning to the UK from May 17, when holidays can go ahead.
However, the majority of the countries on the list are still not letting tourists in – Australia's and New Zealand's borders remain closed to Brits along with Singpore.
The Faroe Islands, Falkland Islands and Brunei, also all on the green list, require quarantines on arrivals between 10 to 14 days.
Only Portugal, which includes the islands of Azores and Madeira, along with Gibraltar, are open to Brits without enforcing a quarantine on arrival from May 17, although are likely to need a negative Covid test if not vaccinated.
Flights and holidays have also ready soared in price to both of the destinations – here are some of the deals you can still find.
Iceland is welcoming fully vaccinated tourists only, which Israel will also do from May 23 for group tours.
The head of the Israeli government’s tourist office in UK Sharon Ehrlich Bershadsky said last week that arrivals would also need an antibody test to enter the country, although hopes that a bilateral agreement between Israel and the UK this year will eliminate the need for this.
She told Sky News: "We will eliminate this test in the future, hopefully, by a bilateral agreement between two countries.
“For example, if Israel and the UK will have this agreement then the British tourists who come to Israel will not need this antibody test.
“I am really hopeful that with the impressive, advanced case of the vaccinations here in the UK we will get this agreement as soon as possible.”
Sadly the majority of holiday hotspots have been left off the green list due to the Covid situation abroad.
Spain, Greece, Italy and France are all on the amber list which requires a 10-day home quarantine when returning to the UK.
Turkey and the Maldives have been added to the UK's red list – which bans non-essential travel and enforces a 10-day hotel quarantine costing £1,750 – due to their own Covid situation and threat of new variants, in particular the Indian strain.
EasyJet boss Johan Lundgren said the decision to leave holiday favourites off the green list was “overly cautious” and “not justified by the evidence”.
Brian Strutto, of pilots’ union BALPA, also said the government’s cautious approach was “extremely disappointing for everyone who works in the travel sector and the millions of people who are desperate to jet away on holiday or business”.
He added: “Almost all tourist hotspots in Europe, including Spain, France and Greece, are in the amber category, which is as good as red as far as most tourists are concerned, with potential 10-day quarantine needed on return.”
Benidorm mayor Tony Perez slammed UK’s new green list as "incomprehensible" after Spain was left off, adding: "Benidorm has better data than Portugal."
Source: Read Full Article