Ten new travel corridors announced, but none are open to British tourists

Tom Mulvihill
·41-min read
Mongolia is on the list, but its borders are closed - Getty
Mongolia is on the list, but its borders are closed - Getty

A clutch of new destinations have been added to the travel corridors list – but most are closed to tourists and none are feasible holiday options.

The weekly review of the green list, announced by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps on Twitter, saw the addition of Mongolia, Bhutan, Aruba, Timor-Leste, Samoa, Micronesia, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Tonga.

Bhutan is unlikely to welcome tourists until at least February, Mongolia’s borders are still closed, as are Samoa’s, Vanuatu’s, Kiribati’s, Tonga’s and Micronesia’s.

Timor-Leste and the Solomon Islands is quarantining all arrivals for 14 days, and Aruba can only be reached via the Netherlands or the US.

Two countries – Estonia and Latvia, both of which are already quarantining UK arrivals – lost their travel corridors.

The largely useless additions to the green list will infuriate those tour operators which have been calling for more corridors to countries that are actually welcoming British travellers. Costa Rica, Belize, Brazil, Cape Verde, Botswana, Mexico, South Africa, Ecuador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Egypt, all of which have lower Covid case rates than the UK, remain on the quarantine list but are open to tourists.

Nick Van Gruisen, managing director of The Ultimate Travel Company, said: “I cannot see the rationale or logic of opening corridors to countries that do not allow British visitors nor in many cases presently have no commercial airline services. Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka are all examples, and now we’ve got Mongolia and Bhutan.

“All but six or seven countries in the world have a worse Covid record than the UK, and many have very low infection rates. South Africa, Ecuador and Costa Rica are perfect examples.”

05:48 PM

That's your lot

Thanks for joining us today. It has been a very bleak Thursday for the travel industry. Here's a recap: 

  • Only three parts of England – Cornwall, the Isle of Wight and the Isles of Scilly – have been placed in Tier 1, allowing relatively restriction-free staycations
  • Vast swathes of the country are in Tier 3, meaning hotels and other accommodation providers must close, while residents are advised not to travel
  • Ten new travel corridors have been announced, but none are feasible holiday options
  • Two nations, Latvia and Estonia, have lost their corridors, while the blanket ban on visiting Denmark has been lifted

We'll do it all again tomorrow. 

05:42 PM

One last word on the new travel corridors

Paul Goldstein, who runs Kicheche Camps in Kenya, a country in dire need of tourists, has shared his thoughts: 

I'm afraid I had to scurry off to find an atlas to locate some of the countries now magnanimously granted travel corridors. Aruba, Timor-Leste, Mongolia and Bhutan are the new pin-in-the-map selections! As ever his decision is not based on any sort of reason, sense or, indeed, science and, after his African blunders last week, when two countries were granted corridors without any direct accessibility, he has reverted to disgracefully ignoring this continent again.

 He is bankrupting not just the UK travel industry with his idiotic policies, just as his chum Hancock is bankrupting UK hospitality with his tiers. 

Tell us what you really think, Paul. 

05:34 PM

Midwinter marvels: The best British outdoor breaks for December

From stargazing nights to Peak District hikes, this time of year offers some wonderful outdoor experiences. Let Richard Madden be your guide. Read the full story. 

Sample the seasonal delights of the Forest of Dean - Getty

05:31 PM

And again with the correct spellings this time

05:25 PM

'Does Grant Shapps have the faintest idea what a 'travel corridor' actually means?'

Simon Parker wrote this last week, but it remains just as pertinent. 

Every Thursday evening, the travel industry drops what it’s doing, and rushes to the vast Twitter bingo hall. And with our lucky trinkets, ink dabbers and books in hand, we wait – patiently – for the arrival of the evening’s Master of Ceremonies: the Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps. 

 Probably somewhere in the bowels of Whitehall – wearing a gold sequined blazer and a naff bowtie – he clears the static from his microphone and spins the cage, as a Government SPAD with a Blackberry stands poised.   

“You’ve watched us falter,” he mumbles, pulling out a gaudy ball. “Fancy Gibraltar?” 

The audience collectively groans. 

“It’s not been a failure,” he says. “I give you Australia!”

What rhymes with Mongolia?

Read the full story. 

Inside the Government's Covid war room

05:20 PM

What about the other new 'corridors'?

The Solomon Islands is quarantining all arrivals for 14 days, Samoa’s, Vanuatu’s, Kiribati’s, Tonga’s and Micronesia’s borders are all closed. Cheers Shapps.

05:19 PM

Can I visit Timor-Leste?

Where? 

No, you can't. The FCDO advice states: "You will need to quarantine for 14 days either in a government facility or in your own accommodation, subject to the approval of the Ministry of Health."

05:14 PM

Denmark travel ban lifted

But it does remain on the quarantine red list. 

05:13 PM

Can I visit Aruba?

Yes, but you’ll still need to quarantine on your return to Britain because flights go via Amsterdam, which is not on the travel corridor list. Do not, whatever you do, book a flight via the US. Unless you’re a US resident, you cannot enter or transit the US if you have been in the UK, Ireland, the Schengen zone, Iran, Brazil, or China within the previous 14 days. 

05:11 PM

Can I visit Mongolia?

Definitely not. The FCDO says: “It is currently not possible for British nationals without long-stay visas, residence permits or business visas to enter Mongolia. All international flights and rail are suspended until at least December 31. All road border crossings to and from Russia are closed to foreign nationals. Borders between China and Mongolia are closed.”

05:08 PM

Can I visit Bhutan?

No. The country remains closed to tourism. Last month Health Minister Dechen Wangmo told Asia Times: “The Tourism Council of Bhutan is hoping… to reopen for tourism by early next year, that is, February/March 2021, which was the start of the tourist season during the pre-Covid years.” It plans to use “travel corridors” to permit the return of tourists, and possibly a daily quota of overseas arrivals.

05:07 PM

Two countries removed

So long Estonia and Latvia. Both were already quarantining UK arrivals anyway. 

05:01 PM

10 new corridors, but not much help for holidaymakers

By our reckoning, none of these are feasible holiday options. And two have spelling mistakes. 

04:57 PM

Five minutes until Grant Shapps sends his travel corridor tweet

Here's what we're looking out for:

  • Estonia and Latvia are at risk of losing their corridors
  • Dubai and the Maldives should be safe, despite creeping infection rates
  • A score of countries deserve to be added, with Jamaica and South Africa at the top of the list, but we're not holding our breath

04:55 PM

Out of the frying pan...

Despite falling case numbers, most Britons face tougher tiers after December 2. 

04:47 PM

How an Eastern European hotel uncovered a portal into the world of Cold War surveillance

John Malathronas writes:

I’m sitting in the lobby of Hotel Jama that’s built next to one of Slovenia’s prime attractions, the massive, spectacular Postojna cave. Opposite me sits “Frank”, a wiry, middle-aged man who refuses to tell me his real name. In his dark polo-neck jumper, high-grade waterproof jacket and hiking boots, he cuts a figure between a special-ops spetsnaz and a Black-Hat hacker. 

 “Hotel Jama opened in 1971 in the middle of the Cold War in order to capitalise on the popularity of the caves,” he says. “It attracted foreign VIPs, ambassadors and visiting heads of state. It closed in 2009 and in 2016 the new owners embarked on a full renovation program. It was then that they discovered discrepancies with the blueprints: a sealed basement, doors without keys, double walls...” 

 What the builders had stumbled upon was the hotel’s parallel existence: a specially constructed wiretapping core for eavesdropping on guests as well as a full-on regional communications hub. After the discovery was made public, many people came forward and spoke up, piecing together a puzzle that’s now told in an eye-opening tour. 

Read the full story. 

Builders stumbled upon the hotel’s parallel existence: a specially constructed wiretapping core for eavesdropping on guests

04:44 PM

Santa cleared to enter Irish airspace as 'essential worker'

Santa Claus has been deemed an essential worker and will not be subject to coronavirus travel restrictions when he arrives in Ireland next month.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney confirmed the Government's decision to the Dail parliament in a move that will be met with relief by children across the country.

"As minister for Foreign Affairs we've been working on the Santa Claus issue for a number of weeks now," said the minister.

"And it's important to say to all children in the country that we regard Santa Claus's travels as essential travel for essential purposes and therefore he is exempt from the need to self-quarantine for 14 days and should be able to come in and out of Irish airspace and indeed in and out of Irish homes without having to restrict his movement."

Oh, Simon. 

04:41 PM

Years of mishaps have convinced me I need more than a villa and a pool to enjoy a holiday

You can only lie prostrate by a pool if you have a proper job and need a rest, says Griff Rhys Jones. 

He adds: 

I’ve never got on with ­villas. Maybe I’ve never been that lucky. I still hire places, but they’re not “­villas”, they’re accommodation. They tend to be townhouses or attics in Barcelona or sheds in Cannes – for regattas. If Mrs Jones is coming, they might have a pool, even a bathroom or two. If not, they can be “rudimentary”. But I once got suckered into the classic Tuscan holiday imbroglio, like every other white patriarchal media hooray. Back in the 1980s it was practically an Islington council bylaw: “thou shalt go to Tuscany in August and hang out on a hot patio, in emulation of your literary betters – or John Mortimer”.

 And so you rented a crumbling part-fortified palazzo two miles down a via bianca, perched on a hot north Tuscan hillock, preferably in the company of several other excitable families or an unmarried Bridget Jones or two, and a strangulated bloke in a silk scarf who was “just passing through” on his way to somewhere better but never went. 

Read the full story. 

04:40 PM

Most people are prepared to 'break the law' at Christmas, says Richard Madeley

In the latest episode of The Telegraph's Planet Normal podcast, Mr Madeley said he received a “barrage” of people telling him off the record that they had “no intention of following the rule of six at Christmas”. 

04:37 PM

Residents of Nottingham have a right to feel aggrieved

04:31 PM

Luxurious loopholes: The best remote hideaways to spend your five-day quarantine

Visiting a "high-risk" country after lockdown? You don't have to spend your five-day post-holiday quarantine at home, so why not isolate in a beautiful remote cabin instead, turning one holiday into two? Here's our pick of the best.

Head to this delightful bolthole in Devon

04:26 PM

The grand Swiss hotel that starred in Bond, but was killed by climate change

Back in 1964, the Hotel Belvedere was very much alive and functioning – a swarthy pit-stop on the western half of the Furkastrasse. Then its raison d'être melted. 

The Belvedere is a relic of simpler and colder times - Getty

Read the full story. 

04:17 PM

Will any countries be added to the quarantine list?

Oliver Smith writes: We've seen 16 new travel corridors created in the last two weeks – thanks, we'd like to think, to our Unlock Long Haul campaign. Some are of use (Chile, Rwanda and Cambodia are open to tourists), some less so (Israel and Sri Lanka are not).

But there are dozens of other countries with a lower Covid case rate than the UK that deserve to be added to the green list. Among the top contenders are Costa Rica, Belize, Brazil, Cape Verde, Botswana, Mexico, South Africa, Ecuador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Egypt, all of which are open to Britons. 

04:14 PM

'We are hit both ways – no income coming in and refunds going out'

Kent has been placed in Tier 3, and hotels hoping for a Christmas reprieve from the hardships of lockdown have been left sorely disappointed. Louise Oldfield, owner of The Reading Rooms hotel in Margate, had this to say:

Being in Tier 3 in Kent means that we have to close the bed and breakfast for tourism guests. We would be able to host guests travelling for work and other narrow reasons. But this isn't our market or how Margate functions. Tier 3 means that restaurants and bars are also closed. Even if we were to open, many guests would cancel anyway if there is nowhere open to eat during their stay.

We are sitting down today to contact our guests that were booked in for December and issuing cancellations and refunds or deferrals to 2021. We have seen a massive reduction in advance bookings also. We are hit both ways. No income coming in and refunds going out. We hope to see Government support for the hospitality sector.London is in Tier 2, which is where most of our guests live. Under the current rules, it is not advised to travel unnecessarily from Tier 2 into Tier 3. So you can see how this impact is very wide across the hospitality sector here.

04:05 PM

Iceland issues siren call for remote workers

With an economy that has become increasingly reliant on tourism in recent years, Iceland has suffered from the decline in travel during the pandemic.

But with a simultaneous boom in remote working, the Nordic nation is hoping to attract a different type of visitor.

The Icelandic government has now extended its long-term visa programme beyond the Schengen area, meaning anyone from anywhere will be able to move there for up to six months, provided they are employed by a foreign company and – this is the rub – earning more than $88,000 (£66,000) a year.

iceland - Getty

03:49 PM

Which of Europe's ski resorts will open first?

It’s the question everybody is now asking, and as has been the case throughout the pandemic, a definite answer will not be known until the last minute, says Lucy Aspden. Here’s what we know so far and how resorts across Europe are reacting to the row.

Italy

Ski resorts in Italy are in lockdown until December 3, and only then will their fate and future opening dates be revealed. But it’s looking unlikely they’ll open for Christmas.

France

It’s official, ski resorts in France will be allowed to open at Christmas but all lifts and public areas, such as rental shops, restaurants and bars, will remain shut, as announced by prime minister Jean Castex this morning. This means skiing will generally be off the cards, but it’s not yet known if ski touring or hiking will be permitted.

Switzerland is standing firm and keeping resorts open  - Marco Schnyder

Switzerland

There’s a breath of fresh air across in Switzerland however, where resorts have remained loyal to their opening dates and skiing will happen this Christmas.

Austria

Standing by Switzerland is Austria, where resorts are currently closed under the national lockdown. But they are hopeful restrictions will be lifted from December 7 and plans can go ahead for reopening.

Read the full article

03:40 PM

Egypt tipped for travel corridor, but African countries could be punished for lack of testing

Paul Charles, CEO of travel consultancy The PC Agency, told Telegraph Travel: 

Much of Europe continues to be at the centre of the epidemic so I wouldn’t expect any EU countries to be removed from the quarantine list.

There’s enormous demand for South Africa, Kenya and Jamaica to be given travel corridors but their daily testing rates are really too low for the Joint Biosecurity Centre, who advise on the weekly decisions, to get a true picture of the extent of Covid-19 within those countries.

We may see somewhere like Egypt given a corridor – its infection rates are quite low but, again, there’s little data on their daily testing.

Read more: A lack of testing explains why seemingly Covid-free African nations aren’t getting travel corridors

03:29 PM

California and Texas see record highs of new coronavirus cases

The coronavirus is showing signs of slowing down in the US, where both California and Texas both broke their respective records for daily new cases.

California posted 18,350 cases on Wednesday, an increase of 3,000 from the previous high, which was only set last weekend; Texas reported 16,100 new cases.

The two states have each recorded more than a million cases since March – the only ones to have passed that mark in the US.

The state of New York, meanwhile, has seen its highest number of new cases since April, with 6,265 confirmed on Tuesday.

03:18 PM

Busy bars and banyas in Belarus – where Covid is largely ignored

The axial, neoclassical, facades, colonnades and avenues of central Minsk – somewhat like Berlin's Karl-Marx-Allee on an even bigger scale – are so covered in government propaganda that it sometimes has the feel of a diluted Pyongyang, says Daniel Hardaker.

'Tax is health', 'For Belarus!', 'Belarus – it's ours' and 'I love Belarus' placards hang alongside colour-saturated images of airbrushed families at the park or the circus, and national flags swing from Soviet-era three-pronged fastenings. This is the nomenclature of Alexander Lukashenko's regime, but there is little sign of it shifting its message to resemble the Covid agitprop currently taking up the available flat surfaces of most Western cities. 

belarus - Daniel Hardaker

Belarus has so far taken a measured approach to Covid-19, balancing the threat against other dangers and the collateral damage of measures to which conclusive proof of their effect in fighting the virus has still yet to be seen. 

It has been a rare point of mutual understanding, if not often explicitly stated, between the authorities and much of the opposition, who are still engaged in ongoing protests and weekly stand-offs over the disputed results of August's presidential election. 

This political turmoil is a different kind of crisis. Here in Minsk, there are shades of Weimar Germany in how their chief uncertainty, in comparison with ours, leads to a turn towards life, not away from it. 

Read the full article

03:08 PM

The safest options for a quarantine-free holiday

The following countries have a seven-day case rate below 70 per 100,000, are not on the quarantine list, and are feasible holiday options for UK travellers (a test before departure is usually required)

  • Chile (50.9)
  • Canary Islands (37.5)
  • St Lucia (28.6)
  • Grenada (7.2)
  • Seychelles (6.2)
  • Barbados (4.2)
  • Cuba (2.8)
  • Antigua and Barbuda (2.1)
  • Rwanda (1.9)
  • St Vincent and the Grenadines (0.9)
  • Mauritius (0.2)
  • Cambodia (0)

03:02 PM

'This could not be worse news'

Tiina Carr's Sheffield hotel and restaurant, Brocco on the Park, is situated in a Tier 3 area, and thus will not be able to reopen when lockdown finishes on December 2. She says:

The business is continuing a weekend takeaway service that we have done all year since the first lockdown, but the market is now saturated with everyone doing the same thing, so I'm not sure how worthwhile it is when I have to pay for people coming in. It keeps our brand going though and my weekly newsletters to customers make sure we continue to have dialogue and hopefully they will come back in the future. 

It's normally a busy time in the hotel and the restaurant so this could not be worse news really. I feel we have a Covid-safe environment and really not sure why we are told to close the hotel too, when we have been open in lockdown for essential workers and supporting the hospitals and other caring circumstances.

The review in two weeks is also hard, because now I don't want to go into Tier 2 as it will take around four or five days to reopen again, and would it actually be worth it?

02:53 PM

Turkey's coronavirus numbers soar as government changes reporting method

The Turkish government has changed its method for reporting cases of Covid-19 following widespread criticism from opposition politicians and health organisations.

It means that Turkey is now publishing the number of daily new positive cases, as the rest of the world does, rather than the far lower number of people being treated for coronavirus symptoms.

This resulted in an additional 28,000 cases reported yesterday.

02:30 PM

Which travel corridors are at risk today?

The weekly travel corridor update will be announced at 5pm, with a couple of countries in the crosshairs, writes Oliver Smith. Estonia has seen its seven-day case rate creep up to 169.4 per 100,000 – not far behind the UK rate of 190.5 – while Latvia's has risen to 151.4. The Government is thought to be using a threshold of 100, so both look likely to go. However, neither is open to UK holidaymakers, with a mandatory quarantine on arrival. 

The Maldives and the UAE are of greater concern for post-lockdown travellers. The case rate in the former is 91.1, while the latter's is 88.9, so – while they should be safe this week – book with caution. 

02:19 PM

Four Center Parcs 'villages' to reopen in December

Family holiday company Center Parcs has announced that it will reopen four of its five 'villages' on December 4, following the Government's announcement of tiered restrictions.

Elveden Forest, Longleat Forest, Whinfell Forest and Woburn Forest all fall under Tier 2, meaning they will be allowed to reopen in time to run the Winter Wonderland experience over Christmas.

Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, the group's fifth village, lies in a Tier 3 area and will therefore be unable to reopen until the alert level is downgraded.

Center Parcs Elveden Forest, Suffolk

Center Parcs’ CEO, Martin Dalby, said: “We know there are lots of families in need of a break after the last few months, and we’re pleased we’ll be able to welcome them to four of our villages. Whilst it’s disappointing not to be able to re-open all of our UK villages, we know that we all have a part to play right now and, as always, the safety of our staff and guests is our absolute priority.

“We’ve been working hard behind the scenes to make sure we can safely bring some festive cheer to our guests with our Winter Wonderland, and our teams are looking forward to welcoming families back to the forest in a safe way.”

02:10 PM

'They shut us down so we can’t earn a living'

Bristol is one of the few areas in the South placed into Tier 3, and local businesses are starting to express their fury at the decision. 

Carla Brooks, owner of Brooks Guesthouse Bristol, launched a stinging attack on the Government in response to the news that she will have to keep her hotel closed:

We are extremely disappointed and frustrated at the new Tier 3 being imposed on Bristol. Our business has been stopped from trading for five months this year.  The small grant of £1,800  does not even cover the costs of the national insurance and pensions let alone all the other costs of running a business, yet they shut us down so we can’t earn a living.

Boris Johnson famously said "**** business", and that is exactly what he is doing.

01:55 PM

Coronavirus puts French ski holiday plans on ice

French winter sports resorts are free to open for the Christmas holiday season, Prime Minister Jean Castex has said today, but ski lifts will have to remain shut.

President Emmanuel Macron warned on Tuesday that coronavirus risks made it “impossible” to allow winter sports to resume quickly, adding he hoped that restrictions could be lifted in January.

France’s 350 ski resorts have been up in arms over the decision, saying the weeks around Christmas and New Year are crucial for their survival as they account for up to a quarter of their annual revenues.

Castex said mountain holidays were still on the cards but downhill skiing – by far the most popular pastime for crowds of French and foreign skiers in Alpine and Pyrenees resorts – was effectively ruled out.

“Naturally, everybody is free to travel to resorts to enjoy the clean air of our beautiful mountains, and the shops which will be open, although bars and restaurants won’t be,” Castex told a news conference.

01:46 PM

Intrepid Travel: 'We trust our customers to observe tier advice on travel'

Zina Bencheikh, Intrepid Travel’s managing director for EMEA, has told Telegraph Travel that the company trusts holidaymakers from Tier 3 to observe the new guidelines regarding travel:

"The new tier system will cause yet more uncertainty for the travel industry and customers as we approach the traditional peaks booking season.

"Travel companies need to be more flexible than ever to give customers the reassurance they need to book their 2021 holiday. We strongly advise our customers to check the Government advice before booking.

"We trust our customers to observe the guidelines. If one of our travellers finds that their area is put into Tier 3 restrictions, they can postpone or change their holiday without a fee."

01:27 PM

‘We will be asking hotel guests which Tier they are travelling from’

In contrast with package holiday companies – who, so far, say they won’t be checking whether their clients are from Tier 3 areas (see posts below) – a number of hotel owners in England have told Telegraph Travel that they will be scrutinising guests’ address details.

And if you are from a Tier 3 area, you will be requested to postpone or cancel your trip.

“I know a lot of B&Bs and self-catering cottage owners will check [guests’ addresses],” says Susan Briggs of the Tourism Network. “Even though it might mean declining business and income they desperately need, they want to keep their communities safe.”

Businesses in Tier 1 areas, such as Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, will be keeping a particularly close eye on visitors' addresses.

“We will be asking guests which Tier they are coming from, as we need to safeguard staff and guests,” says Susan Stuart, owner of Chapel House PZ in Penzance, Cornwall. “We also hope that guests will use common sense when deciding whether it is appropriate to travel.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by the owners of The Scarlet, also in Cornwall: “At the Scarlet we will continue to ask this of guests in order to ensure the safety of our team and fellow guests. As those in Tier 3 are advised not to travel, we will be asking them to rain check on their visit for now.”

01:13 PM

Travel agents: 'We will not be stopping anyone from taking a holiday'

Hazel Plush has been asking travel companies whether they will be preventing people in Tier 3 areas from booking trips. The answer? A resounding ‘no’.

"We will not be stopping anyone from taking a holiday," said a spokesperson from one of the UK’s biggest package travel providers, though they did ask us not to publish their name. 

"It’s up to the individual to decide," said a spokesperson from another travel agency. "Customers are not stopped from going abroad on holiday should they wish."

Not a single travel company told Telegraph Travel that they would be checking which Tiers customers live in. 

International travel from a Tier 3 area is not illegal, so those who do go on holiday will not be penalised – rather, the Government is "dissuading" people from taking non-essential trips.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: "We are dissuading people travelling around generally from the very high tier areas.

"You can go abroad. But, of course there is a penalty to pay for that in terms of having a potential quarantine period when you come back."

01:00 PM

What tier does my holiday spot fall under?

You can find out which area falls under which tier here. Below we take a look at which tier the UK's most popular staycation spots will fall into.

Tier 1 (OK to travel; hotels open)

  • Cornwall
  • Isles of Scilly
  • Isle of Wight

Tier 2 (OK to travel; hotels open)

  • York and North Yorkshire
  • Cumbria (the Lake District)
  • Norfolk and Suffolk
  • London
  • Devon
  • Liverpool

Tier 3 (do not enter or exit; hotels closed)

  • Northumberland
  • Greater Manchester
  • West and South Yorkshire, and the Humber
  • Bristol
  • Derbyshire (covering much of the Peak District National Park)

12:56 PM

South Korea sees most new coronavirus cases since March

The number of daily new cases of coronavirus in South Korea has surpassed 500 for the first time since March, health officials have confirmed.

Social distancing rules have been reimposed in Seoul and the surrounding regions, the armed forces have ordered a 10-day ban on leave following several outbreaks in military camps, and students have been asked to avoid cram schools and private study sessions ahead of college entry exams, amidst a growing concern at the rate of infection among young people.

"Covid-19 has arrived right beside you and your family," said Health Minister Park Neung-hoo. "The spread of infections among young generations is extraordinary."

south korea coronavirus - Getty

12:45 PM

Kuoni: ‘Holidays will go ahead as normal’

Kuoni has confirmed to Telegraph Travel that it will not be checking which tier its customers are from when they book their holiday. 

Customers need to make their own decision about whether or not to continue with their travel plans. Holidays will go ahead as normal, providing the flights are still operating and the destination is on the corridor list.

For Tier 3 clients who have booked but now wish not to travel, the tour operator says it remains committed to offering flexibility – and will issue refunds, but not automatically. 

The lack of clarity from Government will once again cause enormous confusion and disruption for customers. The holiday can still go ahead; the Government has not banned overseas travel from Tier 3 areas, and where there is no FCDO advice against travel, customers would not automatically be entitled to a refund.

As always though, Kuoni would speak with individual customers to find the best solution. Ideally, we would rebook the holiday to depart at a later date, but if they wanted to cancel we would refund them.

12:36 PM

Bitter tiers for the 99%

So it seems just 1% of the population (of England) will be enjoying the heady delights of life in Tier 1. More than half will go into the middle category, and the rest will carry on into the new year with strict limits on travel, socialising and trade.

12:27 PM

Northern Ireland flight fares get 600% Christmas raise

With travel restrictions between Great Britain and Northern Ireland set to be relaxed for seven days over Christmas, demand for plane seats has shot up – and so have prices.

Before the 'Christmas Ease' was announced, Ryanair's fare for a Stansted-Belfast return flight in late December was just £31, but this has since rocketed to £217 – an increase of 600%.

British Airways has also raised prices on return flights between George Best Belfast City Airport and Heathrow by more than £200, while customers have also seen increases with easyJet and Loganair.

12:14 PM

Can I still go on holiday? UK travel rules under the tier system

England will end its national lockdown on December 2 and return to a three-tier system. The country will be split into Tier 1, 2 and 3 areas, with differing rules for each risk category.

People in Tiers 1 and 2 will have more freedom to travel in the UK (and overseas) than they had during lockdown, but each Tier will come with different restrictions on people's movements.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have also moved into new restrictions with specific advice on travel.

Here's a guide to the differing rules

12:08 PM

Touchdown in Dubai

As we mentioned earlier, Telegraph Travel reporter Emma Cooke has bagged the cushiest assignment of the week, flying out to Dubai to see what a winter holiday looks like in one of the few countries granted a UK travel corridor.

 We'll bring you more as her journey unfolds.

11:54 AM

'There's little to stop Tier 3 refugees who want to leave the country for some winter sun'

One of the strangest of inconsistencies surrounding the latest Covid-19 restrictions was confirmed this week, says Nick Trend. After December 2, people living in Tier 3 in England will be advised not to travel to other parts of the UK for a holiday, for fear of the risk of spreading the virus. But they will be allowed to travel abroad. Where is the logic in that? Is this even an ethical distinction to make? 

Logic was further cast to the winds when the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps attempted to justify the new rules by saying that “we’re not as a government in the business of telling people whether they can’t [sic] travel”. Yup, that’s right – this is the responsible minister in the very same government which continues to tell us when and where we can travel. And just in case we thought he might have “mis-spoken” he went on to affirm “I’m not trying to tell people what they should and shouldn’t do with regard to travel”. I had to replay the interview several times to make sure I wasn’t hearing things. 

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11:33 AM

Will airports in Tier 3 areas stay open?

They will – though whether aircraft will return to the skies remains less clear, says Hazel Plush. 

Since the start of the pandemic, airports have never been forced to close – not even at the height of lockdown. However, when passenger flights have dwindled, airport capacity has often been reduced: some airports, such as Manchester, have closed entire terminals. Heathrow has even closed one of its runways (it currently alternates between the two each week). 

A spokesperson from one international airport that is expected to enter Tier 3 restrictions told Telegraph Travel that today’s announcements “wouldn’t change” their plans to remain open. They also said that they expect airlines to operate a more “generous” schedule than they did during Lockdown 2 – meaning that they anticipate fewer flight cancellations.

Tier 3 restrictions mean that restaurants and hospitality venues can only open for takeaway service – so where does this leave airport lounges and food venues? 

During the last Tiered system, there were some airside exemptions – such as restaurants being able to open early to serve travellers before 5am. If more flights do go ahead, there may well be more exceptions for air travellers wishing to dine. 

11:20 AM

Austria defies Italy's appeal for Alps ski resorts to close at Christmas to stem virus

Two European nations are at loggerheads after Austria indicated it would allow ski resorts to open at Christmas in defiance of an appeal by Italy to shut down all pistes in order to stem the spread of the coronavirus, reports Nick Squires.

Giuseppe Conte, Italy’s prime minister, has warned that allowing skiers to take to the slopes during the holidays could prompt a third wave of Covid-19 across the continent.

Austria is refusing to close Alpine ski slopes this winter - Getty

He has called for an EU-wide agreement on keeping ski resorts closed over Christmas and New Year, a position which appears to be backed by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Under the plan, ski resorts across the Alps would remain closed until at least January 6.

Austria, however, has indicated that it is against such a ban and may open up its slopes in mid-December.

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10:56 AM

Doubts raised over the safe return of the 737 MAX

Aviation experts have cast doubts on the return of the Boeing 737 MAX, claiming that key documents relating to the Federal Aviation Administration's investigation are being illegally withheld.

The FAA has given the aircraft the green light to return to the sky after it was grounded last year following two fatal crashes in six months.

But Paul Hudson, president of airline consumer organisation FlyersRights.org, argues that documents pertaining to the case have been kept private under a spurious pretext of trade secrets and proprietary information, despite the FAA's pledge for full transparency.

He said:

The FAA’s insistence on hiding the key documents concerning the beleaguered 737 MAX violates the law and betrays the promises made by the FAA and Boeing to meet this unprecedented safety failure with necessary transparency.

After Boeing was exposed hiding documents from the FAA and pilots to achieve original certification, and facing Congressional scrutiny, FBI investigations, and civil lawsuits, the public reasonably expects these repeated transparency pledges to mean something.

Read more:  Ryanair boss says nervous 737 MAX fliers will be allowed to disembark and change planes

10:35 AM

Germany extends partial lockdown until December

Chancellor Angela Merkel has announced that Germany's national lockdown will be extended for another three weeks, meaning restrictions are now due to be lifted just before Christmas.

The rules place limits on social gatherings, and restaurants, bars and gyms have been ordered to close until December 20, although schools and most other businesses are allowed to continue operating.

However, with the number of new cases in Germany having risen rapidly in recent weeks and showing no signs of abating, it is expected that the partial lockdown will be extended beyond Christmas and into January.

10:20 AM

UK's biggest ski operator cancels all December holidays to France

Crystal Ski Holidays has cancelled all ski trips to France in December, as resorts in the country are warned they may not reopen this year, writes Lucy Aspden.

“We’re sorry to confirm that due to the impact of Covid-19 and the restrictions now in place, we can’t operate our holidays to France for departures up to and including 31 December 2020,” reads a statement from the UK’s biggest ski holiday operator.

“We’re aware of the French President’s recent announcement regarding restrictions in France. We’ll be proactively contacting any customers whose holidays are impacted as soon as possible to discuss their options, prioritising those due to travel in the coming weeks. We are continuing to monitor the situation,” it continued.

On Tuesday night France’s president Macron said, it is “impossible to consider reopening [of ski resorts] for the year-end festivities,” which led to Crystal’s announcement and fury among resort bosses who had hoped to reopen in the coming weeks.

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10:12 AM

The view from Dubai

So, Telegraph Travel's very own Emma Cooke has jetted off to Dubai this morning, taking advantage of the travel corridor announced two weeks ago. She'll be updating us regularly on what she finds there.

09:58 AM

South Africa braces for coronavirus surge over festive season

South African hospitals are on high alert heading into December, with health officials warning that the increase in people travelling over Christmas will likely lead to a surge in coronavirus infections.

While the number of daily new infections in the country has dropped dramatically since the summer, the caseload is starting to pick up again, prompting a growing fear that the country will be plunged back into lockdown.

“It is not the time to let your guard down, we must hold onto lessons from the first wave,” said the CEO of Netcare Ltd, Richard Friedland. “The numbers in the Eastern Cape are very serious and the surge at the moment is mimicking the first wave. We are also seeing increasing cases in the Western Cape.”

09:41 AM

Which tier could my area be in? Use our Covid postcode search for latest infection rates

With lockdown due to end on December 2, a three-tier system of local restrictions will again take its place, albeit with tougher limits than before.

As was the case previously, Tier 1 ('medium risk') will be the lowest category, Tier 2 ('high risk') the middle category, and Tier 3 ('very high risk') the top category – it will be announced later today which areas go into which tiers, although these decisions will be reviewed every two weeks.

The Government will decide which tier each region is placed in after Dec 2 based on "the number of cases" in each area, but particularly the numbers of people aged over 60 testing positive for the virus, according to the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.

Currently, the tiers are suspended as a national lockdown is in place. Use our postcode search for the latest on infection rates in your area. This data will update as the Government feeds through the latest numbers. 

Find out what tier your area could be in, here.

09:26 AM

Accor and Ennismore combine to create 'world's largest' lifestyle hotel brand

Accor, the biggest hotel operator in Europe, is set to merge with Gleneagles owner Ennismore to create the "world's largest" brand of lifestyle hotels.

The standalone business will start out with 73 hotels split between 12 brands, including well-known names such as Hoxton Hotels, Mama Shelter and Mondrian.

Retaining the name Ennismore, the company will operate out of London from early 2021, subject to regulatory approval.

Gleneagles, Scotland

Sharan Pasricha, Ennismore's founder, said: "This exciting autonomous entity with Accor – one with culture and brand purpose at its heart – allows us to come together to build on our combined portfolio of unique lifestyle brands, accelerate our growth and explore new markets."

09:10 AM

MSC Cruises eyes UK-exclusive sailings in 2021

A new cruise terminal in Southampton will allow for a greater focus on UK and Ireland sailings in 2021 and beyond, says MSC Cruises.

The Swiss-Italian line will be able to offer exclusive cruises for domestic customers, as well as Saturday depatures for the first time, Antonio Paradiso, the company's managing director for UK & Ireland, told Travel Weekly.

“We will have more ships serving the UK market and visiting the UK as a destination,” he said. “2021 will be officially the first time in our history where Southampton will be the homeport. So it will be the only port of embarkation on those itineraries.

“I’m excited because we’re not sharing the ship with any other countries, so it will be a ship fully committed to the UK and Ireland.”

The new terminal – the fifth in Southampton – is expected to open in time for the 2021 season, and will be ready and equipped to receive the next generation of 6,000-passenger ships.

08:56 AM

Americans ignore coronavirus warnings as millions travel home for Thanksgiving

Millions of Americans took to the skies and the highways ahead of Thanksgiving at the risk of pouring gasoline on the coronavirus fire, disregarding increasingly dire warnings that they stay home and limit their holiday gatherings to members of their own household.

Those who are flying witnessed a distinctly 2020 landscape at the nation’s airports: plexiglass barriers in front of the ID stations, rapid virus testing sites inside terminals, masks in check-in areas and on board planes, and paperwork asking passengers to quarantine on arrival at their destination.

Passengers arrive at a United gate at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco - EPO

While the number of Americans travelling by air over the past several days was down dramatically from the same time last year, many pressed ahead with their holiday plans amid skyrocketing deaths, hospitalisations and confirmed infections across the US.

Some were tired of more than eight months of social distancing and determined to spend time with loved ones.

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08:43 AM

It's travel corridor day... again

It's everybody's favourite time of the week. Grant Shapps will give his regular update to the quarantine list at 5pm today, announcing the winners and losers of the often impenetrable travel corridor scheme.

As above, South Africa, Mexico and Kenya are leading contenders for a spot on the 'green list'. But is any country at risk of being kicked off it?

It seems unlikely when considering the current trend: eight countries were added last week, and none removed; another eight were added the week before that, although most of Greece was placed back on the quarantine list.

The UAE, the Maldives and Chile would appear to be the leading candidates based on cases per 100,000 people in the past seven days, but since these are all recent additions, and none has seen their caseload rise dramatically in the meantime, all three look safe for now.

08:09 AM

Good morning

Here are yesterday's top stories to start with:

  • Cruises given green light if companies agree to pay for repatriations 
  • Test for Release benefits holidaymakers returning on December 10

  • Reopening of French ski resorts ‘impossible’ before Christmas

  • Christmas rules likely to be tightened in Scotland

  • Package holidays 'as much as £400 cheaper' than DIY trips 

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