Portugal: Algarve tourist chief welcomes British visitors
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Portugal’s green list status means Brits can enjoy a trip abroad to the Iberian peninsula tourist trap. The country’s low case rate convinced ministers to open up a route between the two countries, one of few currently permitted. But Portugal’s position is tenuous, and a spike in COVID-19 cases could compromise its status.
Will Portugal stay on the green list?
Portugal has welcome back British tourists since mid-May, and many have jumped at the opportunity.
Travellers flocked to the country’s beauty spots on the morning the travel ban lifted, giving a welcome boost to morale and some salve for the country’s bruised economy.
Anyone intending to take a trip there now or in the new future may want to hurry up, however.
Ministers will meet today to decide whether the country should move from the green to the amber list.
Portuguese officials have reported a rising infection rate and growing variant presence.
The latest figures show a slight infection uptick from 33 on May 7 to 51 per 100,000 on June 2.
The Prime Minister has signalled he is ready to back decisions to move countries across the traffic system.
But the final decision lies with the Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBC).
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, he urged caution and reiterated his priorities.
He said: “You’ve got to wait and see what the JBC says and what the recommendations are about travel.
“We’re going to try and allow people to travel, as I know that many people want to, but we’ve got to be cautious, and we’ve got to continue to put countries on the red list, on the amber list, when that is necessary.”
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“I want you to know we will have no hesitation in moving countries from the green list to the amber list to the red list, if we have to do so.
“The priority is to continue the vaccination rollout, to protect the people of this country.”
The Government’s green, amber and red lists form its current travel policy and attach conditions to prospective tourists.
The green list requires a Covid test for outgoing and returning flights.
The amber and red lists ask more of potential travellers.
The amber list holds most countries and requires people to take Covid tests and use passenger location forms.
On their return, they have to quarantine for ten days and take two more Covid tests.
Red list countries require the same, but the Government has made travel to any of them illegal.
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