HOLIDAYS have been given a boost as many foreign destinations have revealed when they will welcome Brits back again this year. A number of countries in Europe are keen to restart tourism especially from Britain due to the success of the vaccine rollout. Spain and Greece are leading the way in wanting to resume restriction-free […]
HOLIDAYS have been given a boost as many foreign destinations have revealed when they will welcome Brits back again this year.
A number of countries in Europe are keen to restart tourism especially from Britain due to the success of the vaccine rollout.
Spain and Greece are leading the way in wanting to resume restriction-free travel through vaccine passports, along with Cyprus and Portugal.
It is worth remembering that holidays abroad will only go ahead from May 17 at the earliest, with the government’s Global Travel Taskforce to announce next month the official date.
Currently in place are a number of travel restrictions as well – most countries require a negative coronavirus test to enter, while Brits returning to the UK need three Covid tests as well as a mandatory 10-day quarantine.
Here is when countries want to welcome Brits back, without any travel restrictions.
Spain wants Brits back as soon as May, and vaccinated travellers are likely to be able to avoid quarantine and negative Covid tests.
Spain’s tourism minister Reyes Maroto has said that the country could start using the vaccine passport in May, when the international tourism fair FITUR is due to take place in Madrid.
She told Antena 3 TV station: “We could be in a position to start implementing the digital passport (when FITUR starts on May 19).”
Pedro Homar, director of the Palma Tourism Board previously told Telegraph Travel: “With the rate in which the UK is rolling out the vaccination, we are confident that the UK market will be one of the first to return to Palma.
“In terms of timings, we expect the UK market to return from around May onwards.”
Greece will welcome Brits back from May 14, with vaccinated travellers being able to avoid quarantine restrictions and negative Covid tests.
Greek tourism minister Harry Theoharis has been pushing for the return of Brits in recent weeks.
A senior tourism sector official in Athens told the Sun: “We’re in a race to get them, in fact everyone in Europe is in a race to get them.
“If 3.5 million come as they did in 2019, it will be fantastic for us.”
Non-vaccinated tourists will still be able to visit but will likely need negative Covid tests before travelling, and have to quarantine on arrival.
Cyprus is letting fully-vaccinated tourists into the country from May 1 with no travel restrictions.
However, they have confirmed that tourists must have both jabs, with the second one at least seven days before arriving at the country.
Other tourists will still be able to visit but will have to follow strict entry rules.
Portugal has said they want Brits back from May 17.
Portugal’s Secretary of State for Tourism Rita Marques confirmed that they were working on measures to allow vaccinated travellers or those with immunisation.
The Portuguese island of Madeira has already dropped all entry travel restrictions for anyone who has been vaccinated.
Anyone who can prove that they have recovered from the virus in the previous 90 days can also skip the mandatory tests and quarantines on arrival.
France announced earlier today that travel restrictions are easing for Brits, with an essential reason no longer needed to visit the country.
However, the return of restriction-free travel has not yet been allowed so a negative test will still be needed – meaning a trip to Disneyland Paris may be off the cards for now.
They are yet to confirm if they will introduce vaccine passports to allow Brits to return, restriction-free.
Italy is yet to announce when Brits can return, and is even facing going back into strict lockdown.
Vaccine passports have not been discussed regarding holidaymakers returning to the country without needing tests or quarantines.
Turkey wants Brits back by May, when the UK travel restrictions lift with the vaccination programme beating a lot of Europe holiday hotspots.
A well placed source said: “Turkey is ready and willing to let the British come in as soon as possible, and as safe as possible.”
Turkey’s tourism industry has also adopted the Safe Tourism Certification Program, a set of safety and hygiene measures the Turkish government introduced earlier last year.
