If you’re hoping for a summer holiday this year, it’s likely you have been glued to the travel news to find out where you could possibly go. The government has expanded its green travel list to include 16 more countries – including the tourist hotspot that is Spain’s Balearic Islands.
So let’s take a look at the countries added to the green list and what this means for travel this summer.
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Green listed countries
As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, travel news is ever-changing. Rules around quarantining, where you can go and requirements for travel are constantly evolving.
The government has created a traffic light system covering destinations around the world. The system dictates whether or not you will need to quarantine on your return to England. It’s reviewed every three weeks, and the latest update has seen 16 countries added to the green list.
If you visit these countries, then there is no need to quarantine on your return to England. You will need to take a Covid-19 test before commencing your return journey. You’ll then need to take a second test on or before day 2 after you arrive back in England. But there is no requirement to self-isolate or stay in a quarantine hotel.
Green list from 30th June
Here are the countries or territories that will move to the government’s green watchlist at 4am on Wednesday 30 June:
- Anguilla
- Antarctica/British Antarctic Territory
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Balearic Islands (Formentera, Ibiza, Mallorca, Menorca)
- Barbados
- Bermuda
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Dominica
- Grenada
- Madeira
- Malta
- Montserrat
- Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands
- Turks and Caicos Islands
To see the full green list, check out the gov.uk website.
If you’re eagle-eyed, you will have noticed that these countries are moving from amber to the green watchlist, not just the green list. This basically means they can be moved back to the amber list at very short notice.
In other travel news, Israel and Jerusalem – which were on the green list – are now on the green watchlist. This puts them at risk of moving from green to amber.
This extra step has been introduced to give travellers a bit more certainty. We have seen on the news people scrambling to get last-minute flights to avoid quarantining when the rules change. By highlighting that this could be a possibility, the government is hoping to provide greater assurance to those who do travel abroad.
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Travel to a green listed country
It is important to note that just because there are no quarantine restrictions on return from a green list country, that doesn’t automatically mean you can travel there.
Some countries on the green list, like Australia, have closed their borders in order to stop the spread of coronavirus.
So before you make any travel plans, make sure you check the latest travel news and advice.
Other travel tips
If you have a holiday booked in a country that is not on the green list, the advice is not to go.
The best thing to do is to check the cancellation policy on your holiday. Most travel operators have pretty flexible policies at the moment due to the current circumstances. But it is worth knowing how much notice you need to give if you decide to cancel.
If you are able to travel, then travel insurance is always a wise idea. While you may not be able to get cover for cancellation because of Covid-19, you could protect yourself from medical costs if you are ill abroad or additional costs if your travel plans have to change.
