Bulletin – Portugal and her islands plus Green List Update

Well, the government has published its eagerly anticipated traffic light travel list. As expected there are only a handful of countries on the Green List and even fewer who are actually welcoming or expecting to welcome UK tourists this summer (see boxes below).  Nepal, the Maldives and Turkey have been added to the Red List and everywhere else is on the Amber List.  Grant Schapps in his announcement discouraged people from travelling to Amber List countries for holidays.  But if you are not discouraged by the testing regime and home isolation on your return then there are a number of Amber List countries now welcoming UK travellers such as Cyprus, Greece and Montenegro.  The traffic light travel list will be reviewed every three weeks from reopening and there will also be a watch list for green countries which may move into amber.  

More countries now on the Green List will open up to the UK and more will be added as time passes.  For the time being, your best bet for a sunny summer holiday is Portugal and her islands. You can expect demand to surge and prices to increase so, if you are keen, get in touch now to book.  As always there is some inspiration below (prices are a very loose guide and will almost certainly increase with demand).     

As I have mentioned before, travel in the next few months is not without risk and hoops to be jumped through (not least nasal swabs!).  But if you are dreaming of blue skies and sunshine read Shearwater Travel’s updated guide to booking a holiday this summer.  It contains useful tips on how to mitigate these risks. Please also bear in mind that when you get to your destination, with very few exceptions, there will be rules to follow.