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Green list: Malta, Madeira and the Balearics added in boost for holidaymakers

Madeira is back on the green list (Getty/iStock)
Madeira is back on the green list (Getty/iStock)

Malta, Madeira and the Balearic Islands have been added to the quarantine-free green list, giving UK holidaymakers a much-needed boost this summer.

The changes will come into effect from 4am on 30 June, and mean holidaymakers returning from those nations need not quarantine, but must instead take just one post-arrival PCR test.

However, all territories but Malta are on the “green watchlist”, which mean they are at risk of turning amber.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps announced the changes in a tweet.

Javier Piñanes, director of the Spanish Tourist Office, said: “We are delighted that the Balearic Islands has been added to the UK’s green list for travel meaning that British travellers will be able to visit the archipelago (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera) without the requirement of quarantine on their return to the UK.

“This development illustrates the excellent progress that has been made in the archipelago regarding Covid-19 and is a step forward for both the Spanish and British travel industries. We hope that the rest of Spain will be added to the list very soon so that British residents can once again enjoy their holidays in Spain and/or be reunited with relatives.”

This is not Portuguese-owned Madeira’s first time on the green list. In the first green list announcement at the start of May, Portugal and its territories of Madeira and the Azores were added to the green list, and thousands of UK holidaymakers flew there.

However, Portugal and its islands were moved to the amber list on 3 June in a highly disappointing update, in which the government expressed concern over the rising number of Delta variant cases.

Most of mainland Europe, including holiday favourites Spain, France and Italy, remain on the amber list. Arrivals from amber countries must self-isolate for 10 days and take two PCR tests.

The latest traffic light update also shuffled countries including Uganda, Tunisia and Haiti onto the red list.

In addition, Israel has been downgraded slightly from green to the green watchlist.

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