Traffic light system 'to stay for three weeks' says Shapps
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It has already been three weeks since the last Government’s travel announcement. A review of the countries on the green, amber and red lists is due this week.
Britons have been watching the changes to the traffic light system with keen eyes, as any change may affect their travelling plans.
Holidaymakers may hope for more countries to be added to the green list, with data around daily new cases and rate of vaccination analysed by many.
Low Covid cases in Poland, Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Czech Republic could help the countries move to the green list.
Poland and the Czech Republic have been cited as examples of countries that could have been added to the green list during the last travel update.
READ MORE: Spain expat warns of ‘difficulty’ accessing healthcare
Paul Charles, CEO of travel consultancy The PC Agency, told BBC Radio 4: “When you take the criteria of the seven countries added to the [green] list, then actually they equally apply to the countries that haven’t been added – like Poland, for example, or the Czech Republic or even Canada.
“So there are many countries in world which should be on the green list, but aren’t.”
Britons can travel to green list countries without having to quarantine or self-isolate.
A PCR test is still needed on day two.
Paul also warned about some countries currently on the green list.
Croatia, Madeira and Israel could be moved to the amber list.
The CEO also took to Twitter to reassure Britons.
Spain, according to him, will not be going red.
He wrote: “I’ve had many followers asking about #Spain – do not worry. It won’t be going red at the next review. Rates on every level are falling quite sharply, and the vaccination rollout is going strongly, with over 65 percent of the population fully-jabbed. August Bank Holiday is safe there.”
Greece, however, could be moved to the red list.
The country is seeing a rise in infections and is currently at around 2,000 to 4,000 new cases per day.
Another holiday destination that could be moved to the red list is Morocco.
The country has a rising number of Covid cases.
The Government’s new travel announcement will be watched closely by Britons and industry professionals.
The tourism industry is still being strongly impacted by the Covid pandemic.
TUI announced last week that it was cancelling some of its package holidays and flights because of “ongoing uncertainty around travel”.
Until October 31, some European destinations have been cancelled by the operator.
Austria, Italy and Slovenia (Tui Lakes and Mountains including non-Tui flights); Varna and Bourgas in Bulgaria; Sicily, Sardinia, Calabria in Italy; Almeria and Girona in mainland Spain; Malta (except non-Tui flights) and Montenegro have all been cancelled.
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