It would be "reckless" to drop the self-isolation requirement for travellers returning from amber-listed destinations, MPs in the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus have claimed.
Caroline Lucas, vice-chairwoman of the group, said: "The Delta variant first arrived here in the UK precisely because of inadequate pre-travel requirements and health checks at UK arrival halls, compounded by a lack of support and enforcement of mandatory quarantine.
"Scrapping quarantine measures now would be reckless and risks squandering the hard-earned freedoms of the British public again, just like they did last summer".
All travellers arriving in the UK from countries and territories on the amber list must self-isolate for up to 10 days. However, Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, has confirmed that ministers are "working on" plans for quarantine-free travel for fully vaccinated Britons.
Analysis of NHS Test and Trace figures by The Times found that fewer than one in 200 travellers who entered the UK from amber tier countries between May 20 and June 9 tested positive for coronavirus.
The quarantine rule change could be revealed on Thursday following the meeting of the Cabinet’s Covid-O committee, in which ministers are set to approve the vaccination travel plans and make a call on whether to expand the green list.
Scroll down for the latest travel updates.
05:07 PM
What we learned today
That’s all for today, here’s a recap of Tuesday’s top headlines:
Quarantine to be scrapped for double jabbed in traffic light overhaul
Comment: 'No reason to trust the Gov't. will deliver holidays by August'
Scrapping quarantine for double-jabbed would be 'reckless', MPs claim
Travel Day of Action: Government should cut the ‘red tape’ on travel
Portugal went amber 'too soon', says Hugh Merriman
Tui has become an 'interest party' in legal action against Govt.
Thailand approves quarantine-free model for Phuket
P&O announces plans for international cruises
Tune back in tomorrow for more of the latest travel news.
05:02 PM
'Light at the end of a very long tunnel' for Scottish destinations
scotland destination
Scotland's potential moves to Level 0 on July 19 and away from coronavirus restrictions altogether by August 9 have been described as "a light at the end of a very long tunnel" for Scottish tourism businesses.
Marc Crothall, Scottish Tourism Alliance chief executive, called the news a "very big step in the right direction... and a light at the end of a very long tunnel".
He said: "The First Minister's announcement that the easing of restrictions will be delayed for the next three weeks will be disappointing for tourism businesses across Scotland, despite this being what we had all anticipated.
"We now need to ensure there is a strong, highly visible marketing campaign to attract the UK market to Scotland for an extended period beyond the Scottish school summer holiday and well into the autumn.
Dr Liz Cameron, Scottish Chambers of Commerce chief executive, said businesses "can finally breathe a sigh of relief".
She added: "We are firmly heading in the right direction which will allow businesses to plan ahead and we must now all do what we can to ensure the plan is implemented without the need for further delay."
A new French start-up hopes to revive Europe’s sleeper train network by 2024.
Midnight Trains has announced plans to connect Paris with 12 other European destinations, including Edinburgh, in the coming years. The company hopes post-pandemic interest in cleaner, greener travel will boost demand.
The founders say the aim is not to match the famous – and expensive – luxury of the Orient Express but offer an alternative to the basic, state-run SNCF sleepers and short-haul flights. The trains will offer ‘hotel-style’ private rooms and an onboard restaurant and bar.
Other routes will include destination cities in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Belgium and Denmark.
"People want intimacy," said co-founder Adrien Aumont. "They don’t want to be sharing a sleeping space with a stranger. They want privacy, security and a good quality bed. By offering a bar and restaurant we are also offering conviviality and a certain art de vivre. What we aim to do is to make people who want to travel in Europe hesitate to take the plane, to make a 90-minute flight a thing of the past."
04:31 PM
German chancellor criticises Portugal for allowing in British tourists
portugal beach
Angela Merkel has said Portugal could have avoided its recent spike in cases if it had not opened up its borders to British holidaymakers.
The German chancellor had warned the EU was "backfiring" in its goal to set consistent travel rules, pointing to Spain and Portugal allowing travellers from the UK while it remains off the EU's "safe country" list.
"We now have a situation in Portugal that could perhaps have been avoided, and that's why we have to work even harder on this," she said. "We've made pretty good progress in recent months, but we're not yet where I would like the European Union to be."
Portugal was on the UK’s green list for just a matter of weeks before it had its quarantine-free status revoked at short notice.
04:19 PM
Travel Day of Action: Government should cut the ‘red tape’ on travel
Ahead of tomorrow’s lobby at Westminster, with similar events taking place in Edinburgh and Belfast, other travel industry bosses are showing their support for Abta's Day of Action.
Tom Jenkins, CEO of the European Tourism Association said:
520,000 jobs depend on overseas leisure visitors to the UK. The UK inbound tourism market was due to generate £30 billion in 2020, only 20 per cent materialised. Recovery could be swift, but only if visitors are welcome stopped by red tape. The UK is in danger of losing 2021, and falling behind in 2022 and 2023.
Abby Penston, CEO of Focus Travel Partnership will join representatives tomorrow, she said:
Corporates won’t let people travel for business until restrictions ease. Revenue for Focus partners has shrunk by 84 per cent over the duration of the pandemic; ticket sales have dropped by 75 per cent. The partners have had to make refunds, exchanges or vouchers for 35,000 airline tickets. Employment figures have fallen dramatically. Furlough and support needs to be extended until safe travel can resume.
04:04 PM
Keeping travel restrictions in July 'would cost UK £639 million a day'
Prolonging international travel restrictions throughout July would cost the UK £639 million a day, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).
The WTTC has written to Boris Johnson, asking him to allow quarantine-free travel for fully vaccinated people, and to remove PCR testing for arrivals from green list countries to save the summer season.
The WTTC warned that up to 218,000 jobs could be lost in the sector if no action is taken.
The letter, signed by WTTC members such as Tui and Silversea Cruises, asked the Prime Minister to require only one PCR test for travel to amber list countries.
03:49 PM
Manchester will not receive compensation for Scottish travel ban
The Scottish Government has said it will not compensate people and businesses from Manchester after a travel ban was put in place this week, reports the PA.
In the latest in a growing row between Scottish ministers and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, the Covid Recovery Secretary, John Swinney, said they would not acquiesce to Mr Burnham's demands for compensation.
Mr Burnham said his office had received more than 50 emails about the ban and cited one person, due to marry at Gretna Green in early July and tour Scotland on honeymoon, has had to cancel and a family due to visit north of the border to scatter the ashes of a loved one have had to shelve their plans.
Mr Burnham also said one hotel in Greater Manchester had reported the loss of 200 room nights.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Mr Burnham told reporters he was seeking a "political route" out of the dispute, saying: "I anticipate having the opportunity to discuss it with the First Minister tomorrow and obviously we will want clarity on elements of the policy that are currently unclear to us in terms of the criteria that are being used here, the exit strategy, the process for lifting the restrictions on the boroughs affected.”
03:36 PM
Britons splurge on motorhomes ahead of another staycation summer
Insurance comparison website GoCompare has reported a 26 per cent year-on-year rise in quotes for motorhome insurance as Britons look set to holiday on home soil this summer.
Hannah Isitt, from GoCompare Motorhome Insurance, said: "Coronavirus has hugely affected foreign travel over the last year and it seems there are many Britons who have taken the plunge to buy a motorhome so they can enjoy the best the UK has to offer in a hotel-on-wheels. The figures show a real surge in demand."
Anyone thinking of buying a self-contained home on wheels should consider the insurance rules though. A campervan can be covered with a standard car or van insurance depending on modifications, while a motorhome is defined as a 'motor caravan' and requires a specialist policy.
Hannah advises: "If you are going to be hitting the roads more often this year, it's probably also worth considering motorhome breakdown cover. Your motorhome is likely to be one of your most valuable assets and, if it breaks down you could be stranded hundreds of miles away from home and it could wreck your holiday."
motorhome
03:22 PM
Quarantine to be scrapped for double jabbed in traffic light overhaul
Quarantine rules could be waived for fully vaccinated travellers returning from amber list destinations as early as August, reports suggest.
This rule change could be revealed on Thursday when an update to the traffic light categories is due.
A "senior government source" told The Times that by August a sufficient number of people will have received both doses to allow the Government to implement the changes.
spain
Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, confirmed to Sky News this morning that ministers were "working on" plans for quarantine-free travel for fully vaccinated Britons. However, he added that it "hasn’t been clinically advised yet".
Asked if these plans could be in place as soon as August, Mr Hancock replied: "We'll get there when it's safe to do so".
Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned on Monday that summer travel would be filled with "hassle and delays".
03:01 PM
Scottish Gov't. could plans to lift all major restrictions by Aug. 9
The Scottish Government plans to move out of Covid-19 restrictions on August 9 if possible, Nicola Sturgeon has announced.
Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, she said changes to current restriction levels in Scotland will be postponed until July 19.
The First Minister said on that date it is hoped all of Scotland can move to the lowest level of restrictions, Level 0, three weeks later than initially planned on June 28.
he said increasing case numbers are behind the delay, after 2,167 cases were recorded in Scotland in the past 24 hours - the highest daily figure since January 8.
However, she set out a series of vaccination milestones and said if these and other criteria are met the majority of restrictions could be lifted by August 9.
02:52 PM
Portugal went amber 'too soon', says Hugh Merriman
Conservative MP Hugh Merriman has critcised his own party for being too slow to introduce border restrictions at the start of the pandemic, but moving Portugal to amber too quickly.
Speaking at an industry conference held by Abta, The Travel Association. He said: "The government was far too lax in terms of securing our borders in the early days of the pandemic. I’m afraid that lax start seems to have become a driver for the far too cautious approach."
Mr Merriman said he had asked the Health Secretary for a milestone as to when travel could return, but was told it was “too early to tell; there could be unknown variants out there”. Mr Merriman added: "There will always be unknown variants," and said the vaccine was now protecting us.
He said his committee had pushed for the traffic light changes to be published earlier but added: "Yet what we were faced with was seeing Portugal on green, then as soon as (cabinet minister) Michael Gove had got back from the football, it went to amber."
02:45 PM
Why you should put football rivalries aside and visit the Czech Republic when travel resumes
Pitch-side tensions aside, beyond the Czech Republic's bustling capital lies a nation of rich history, culture and hidden gems, writes Kirsten Powley.
prague
02:24 PM
Issues with travel testing must be addressed, says Which?
If quarantine restrictions were to be dropped for travellers returning from amber destinations, while testing rules remain, it would a further strain on testing companies and holidaymakers.
Which? has said a "robust, accurate" system is needed to match any further requirements (which could include daily testing of returning travellers, instead of quarantine).
Rory Boland, Which? Travel Editor, said:
Steps to make international travel easier when the public health situation allows will be welcomed by travellers, but it's vital that if daily testing is to be introduced as an alternative to isolating, that the current serious problems with the government's testing for travel system are addressed before further requirements are introduced.
The government must urgently take steps to ensure its testing system is robust, accurate, and that all results are delivered on time, every time - not only to ensure travellers aren't left out of pocket by a flawed testing system, but to protect the health of the country.
02:07 PM
Sturgeon: No change to Covid levels in Scotland
Covid restriction levels will not change for any part of Scotland on 28 June, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said.
"We cannot be complacent about this, however we do have evidence that the link between infections and severe cases is weakening," she says.
The vaccine "is allowing us to change the way we respond to the virus", she adds. "The virus is still with us but the vaccines are protecting more of us."
"I expect and profoundly hope the link... will continue to weaken as more of us are vaccinated."
01:57 PM
Waiving quarantine for double-jabbed would be 'reckless', claim MPs
It would be "reckless" to drop the self-isolation requirement for travellers returning from amber-listed destinations, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus has claimed.
Caroline Lucas, vice-chairwoman of the group, said:
The Delta variant first arrived here in the UK precisely because of inadequate pre-travel requirements and health checks at UK arrival halls, compounded by a lack of support and enforcement of mandatory quarantine.
Scrapping quarantine measures now would be reckless and risks squandering the hard-earned freedoms of the British public again, just like they did last summer.
Stavros - Getty
01:51 PM
Holyrood rows over Manchester travel ban
A row has erupted in Holyrood over the Scottish Government handling of a unilateral travel ban on people from Manchester.
John Swinney, the deputy first minister, said ministers had felt they were "notifying Parliament properly", and that it was the same approach taken when Bolton was placed under restrictions.
He attacked opposition MSPs, who he said "couldn't be bothered looking at their emails at 2:39 on a Friday afternoon", adding: "You can take the horse to water but you can't make it drink."
But the Conservatives' Graham Simpson said: "If the Cabinet Secretary thinks an email is showing respect to this Parliament, looking at it completely the wrong way. The fact is the case rates in Manchester were very similar to Dundee."
Mr Swinney insisted Manchester and Salford's case rates were "in excess of any case rates in Scotland and well above the average.. the epidemiological advice is what drives these decisions."
He ruled out compensation for those whose travel plans have been scrapped.
Denmark fans can fly to Amsterdam – if they leave within 12 hrs
It was reported on Monday that Wales and Denmark fans would not be allowed to attend the Euros game on Saturday because the two nations are not on Holland's safe country list.
But Erik Brogger, director of Denmark's Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Citizen Service, told a press conference today that Danish fans could avoid quarantine in Holland if they entered and left the country within 12 hours.
"You can get to football, but you have to plan quite carefully if you do not want to risk being quarantined in a hotel room," Mr Brogger said, according to Danish media outlet Politiken.
"It should be technically possible, but you have to plan it pretty carefully.
"For most people, it will probably be better to stay at home. We encourage you to watch the match at home."
The Danish authorities said fans could travel if they present a negative PCR test that is a maximum of 72 hours old.
01:28 PM
'With this simple solution we could scrap the red and amber lists'
It’s time to rethink our prohibitive travel restrictions, writes Professor Denis Kinane.
I would argue there is a better way, one which removes the need for those damaging red and amber lists and which subsequently could allow people to travel once again over the summer [...].
If those travelling back to the UK were required to use a pre-departure PCR test, it could produce benefits across the board. Most importantly, it would significantly reduce the risk of bringing new variants into the UK. But it could also eliminate the need for a second PCR test on day eight of quarantine and, critically, the need to quarantine beyond day three. Such a regime could also encourage the Government to move more countries from red to amber or amber to green with all the benefits that would bring. This would reduce the financial impact of the amber list regime and encourage more people to travel.
Traffic light system must be 'more transparent and consistent'
Tomorrow, June 23, marks a Day of Action in which a coalition of trade bodies from the travel and aviation bodies will seek to put pressure on the Government to support a safe return of international travel.
Club Med is among those supporting the initiative, which is taking place ahead of an expected update to the traffic light categories for travel.
Estelle Giraudeau, managing director, UK & Northern Europe at Club Med, said:
While we understand travel restrictions have been necessary to curb Covid cases, we cannot continue on this same trajectory as it will have a devastating (and for many an irreversible) impact on the international travel sector. With over 30 million UK adults fully vaccinated and over 80 per cent already received their first dose, we would have hoped that restrictions would have started to ease, and yet we have seen the reversal of this. As a business, we are calling on the government to be more transparent and consistent with their traffic light system and stand as one with the travel industry who all feel they have been let down by the government [...].
Like so many businesses, we are still working to get our full team back. We still have staff members on furlough and with the financial offering decreasing, coupled with no additional support from the government, we are becoming increasingly concerned about the longer-term impact. All Club Med employees have the option to attend the protest safely (should they wish), and all staff are being encouraged to contact their local MP as well as show their support on their social media platforms.
01:07 PM
Moscow to impose tough new restrictions
Moscow's residents will only be allowed to visit cafes and restaurants in the city if they can show they had been vaccinated against Covid-19, recently tested negative or had the coronavirus in the last half year, the city's mayor announced today.
The new restrictions, which were detailed on Mayor Sergei Sobyanin's blog, are due to come into effect on June 28.
Russia has reported a surge in cases this month, which authorities have blamed on the new Delta variant.
12:59 PM
#BritainByBike enters its final week
While on the subject of Scotland, our roaming reporter Simon Parker is enjoying the Scottish cycleways as he begins the final push of his +3,000-mile journey across the nation, for our #BritainByBike series.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is expected to confirm a delay to the easing of Covid-19 restrictions in Scotland this afternoon.
She signalled last week that the move to Level 0 - the lowest in the five-tier system - was likely to be pushed back by three weeks – today's announcement is expected to explain why.
Travel rules in Scotland are similar to those in England – but travel to some parts of North West England, including Manchester, is currently restricted, as is travel out of areas in Level 3 and 4.
📺 I will make a statement to @ScotParl today (c 2.20pm) setting out the vaccine milestones we hope to reach over the summer and, based on those, the path we hope to take out of Covid restrictions and back to greater normality in our day to day lives. Please tune in if you can.
In pictures: Travellers adopt extreme measures to stay safe.
Chinese passengers have been pictured wearing fully protective suits at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Thailand.
chinese travellers - RUNGROJ YONGRIT/Shutterstock
chinese travellers - RUNGROJ YONGRIT/Shutterstock
Thailand is set to reopen to vaccinated holidaymakers from around the globe in the coming months, despite surging cases and rising death tolls.
12:28 PM
Canada takes first steps to ease border restrictions
The world continues to open up to vaccinated travellers. From July 5 Canada will scrap quarantine for returning fully-vaccinated citizens or permanent residents. Inoculated foreign visitors visiting for essential reasons will also be able to avoid isolation, but they will need to provide proof of vaccination, negative test results and test on arrival.
However, no timeline has been set for when Canada will open its borders to foreign holidaymakers who don’t have an essential reason to visit.
Unvaccinated travellers will continue to have to book a three-night stay in a quarantine hotel on their arrival in Canada.
"This is the first phase of our precautionary approach to easing Canada’s border measures. At this time we are not opening up our borders any further," Dominic Le Blanc, minister of intergovernmental affairs, said in a statement.
The seven-day case rate in Canada has dropped significantly in recent weeks, currently at 16.98 per 100,000. 79 per cent of the populations have received their first vaccine dose, 22 per cent have been double jabbed.
12:13 PM
Lunchtime advice: Is now the moment to bag a holiday bargain?
sun lounger
A change in quarantine rules could inspire a rush on travel bookings, but it won't be an easy ride, with various factors still to consider. The questions are somewhat endless:
Will prices soar? Will Government rules continue to change? Is it safe to book a holiday? Are countries open to British holidaymakers? When should you book a holiday?
Lynsey Devon explains how a last-minute, unheard-of change to regulations forced one holidaymaker put a celebratory trip to Jersey on hold.
Lynsey and her husband - Lynsey Devon
The Jersey Government currently asks all visitors over the age of 11 to fill out a travel form 48 hours before travelling. I had checked this out two days previously and all was looking straight forward. My husband and I systematically went to fill the forms in – the information provided by passengers is then shared with the Contact Tracing Service and with monitoring and enforcement agencies.
As has become commonplace in the new normal, we filled in the required details, dates of travel, vaccination dates, destination and where we were travelling from – not London – but which borough. That’s niche, I thought.
Seconds later my husband received a big ‘RED STATUS’ – which identified he would need to enter self isolation until day 10 of the trip – we were only going for five days.
UK has been 'sluggish' in reopening international travel
Tory MP Huw Merriman, chairman of the Transport Select Committee, told the Travel Matters conference (which is organised by Abta) today that the UK has been "sluggish" in reopening travel.
"We have led the world when it has come to international aviation travel standards, yet when it's come to this pandemic we have not done so," he said.
"We have not played an international lead where we really could've done so in terms of the rules."
11:47 AM
The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is back
Lovers of the romance of travel are celebrating the return of the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, back on track after a gap of almost 20 months, writes Adrian Bridge.
venice simplon-orient-express - Belmond
The beautifully-crafted art deco train is due to arrive in Amsterdam this evening, having successfully set off from Venice yesterday morning on a spectacular journey taking in northern Italy, the Swiss Alps, Paris and Brussels.
Belmond, the company that runs the luxurious VSOE, twice tried to get it back in service last year, only to be thwarted by continuing coronavirus-related restrictions. But clearly it has been a case of third time lucky.
“We are really excited to see the Venice Simplon-Orient Express back on track,” said Belmond’s Gary Franklin. “And by showing that we are up and running again we will give people confidence to carry on with their travel plans. Despite the uncertainties, lots of people have booked for trips this year, and there’s huge demand for trips in 2022 and even 2023.”
The Venice-Amsterdam route is one of several new ones being introduced this year as part Belmond’s drive to recreate Grand Tour experiences in Europe redolent of the very earliest days of luxury travel. Other stopping off points will include Florence and Rome.
Most passengers on the first resumed service were from continental European countries. Belmond hopes that it will not be long before British travellers will be able to join them.
"The wolves are at the door", of tour operators and travel agents, Mark Tanzer, chief executive of Abta – The Travel Association, said at an industry conference today.
We come together at the darkest hour in recent travel history. You don’t need me to tell you of the carnage wrought by the pandemic, and the devastating impact it continues to have on travel businesses and travel lives. At ABTA we see this up front and close with long-established Members failing or choosing to shut up shop, and heart-breaking stories of personal loss. They say the darkest hour is right before the dawn. This dawn has been a long time coming, and we desperately need to see day breaking soon.
The travel sector was the first to be impacted by the pandemic in 2020, and, as the domestic economy starts to recover, it looks certain to be the last to emerge from it. The Government’s own data show travel has been the sector hardest hit, with trading volumes down by 90% year on year [...].
The danger we face is here and now – the wolves are at the door. Every day counts in regaining this summer season - getting customers confident to book and to travel, and getting money into cash-starved businesses. To get the point across visibly and vociferously, Abta – together with fellow travel associations – has organised a Day of Action to take place tomorrow outside Parliament and in the Devolved Administrations. Travel professionals from across the UK will be presenting directly to MPs the extremity of the situation we face, and what we need from Government.
11:24 AM
Views from a Britain-only cruise
Telegraph Travel's Chris Leadbeater is enjoying a British Isles sailing on the new Viking Cruises ship, Viking Venus.
It might be cardigan carrying weather, but the views don't disappoint.
'No reason to trust the Gov't. will deliver holidays by August'
British holidaymakers have been stung time and time again – it’s time for a reality check, writes Greg Dickinson.
vilamoura beach - REUTERS/REUTERS
In the past week there have been whispers that the Government is working on a system which will allow fully vaccinated travellers to travel to all amber destinations, quarantine free, by August. With a bit of luck, we might hear more about this in Thursday’s traffic light update, including details on what kind of testing requirements will remain, and what it means for families with children under 18.
Waiving quarantine for the double jabbed would signal the end of the misery – the effective unlocking of overseas travel. It would immediately benefit most of us: by the beginning of August, three quarters of British adults (41 million people) will have received both doses of the vaccine. And as it stands it would open up all our favourite holiday destinations: the amber list is made up of 167 countries and territories, including Spain, France, Portugal, Greece and the USA.
So with the unseasonal rain trickling down our windows, and an underfiring national football team, you would be forgiven for taking this as your cue to throw caution to the wind and book a week in Greece in August. But pause for just a second before you do.
Thailand approves quarantine-free model for Phuket
Thai authorities have approved a pilot model for quarantine-free travel to the popular beach destination of Phuket.
Thailand has imposed strict restrictions on visitor arrivals in order to stem the coronavirus, but discouraging visitors has led to its economy recording the worst performance since the 1997 Asian financial crisis.
The tourism industry has been on tenterhooks since March, when the government floated the so-called "Phuket sandbox" scheme. This would have allowed vaccinated tourists to enter the country without undergoing the usual two week's quarantine.
But after a third wave of Covid infections engulfed the country in April, the scheme appeared to be on the back burner.
Tourism officials and members of Thailand's Covid taskforce announced Friday the sandbox scheme was set to begin on July 1.
10:53 AM
P&O announces plans for international cruises
P&O Cruises has revealed its phased restart plan for international cruises, beginning with Mediterranean itineraries in September.
Its flagship Britannia will begin Med sailings on September 25 while Atlantic coast trips will begin on Iona from October 3. Ventura’s first cruises will be the planned programme of Atlantic islands holidays from October 3.
Britannia - P&O Cruises
P&O Cruises president Paul Ludlow said:
We are very much looking forward to getting Britannia and Iona back to sea for the series of UK coastal cruises – staycations at their best - which are certainly proving very popular and then beginning our international re-start as we phase in each of the other ships.
As we know the UK Government has developed a traffic light system for holidays abroad this summer. The current situation means that whilst unfortunately there will be a number of cancellations of itineraries on some ships, we are looking ahead and planning for the future with vigour.
We are confident that destinations will soon open up their borders both for UK travellers and also for cruise ships. Spain and its islands and the Caribbean are both looking very positive and we are seeing, one by one, countries publicly looking forward to welcoming us back.
10:43 AM
Aer Lingus losing €1m a day
Aer Lingus is losing more than €1 million (£857,014) a day and does not expect the Irish government's plan to ease travel restrictions next month will give it a significant near term bounce, its new chief executive said on Tuesday.
Ireland now has the strictest travel curbs in the European Union but will adopt the EU's Covid-19 certificate to help citizens to move more freely across the bloc from July 19.
The Irish airline, which like British Airways and Iberia is owned by International Airlines Group, said last month it would close its cabin crew base at one of Ireland's largest airports and impose cuts and layoffs across the company as part of a restructuring.
"It is looking too little too late to have a significant bounce that will get us on the right path to restoring connectivity, supporting jobs in the near term," Lynne Embleton told an Irish parliamentary committee, citing continued curbs for unvaccinated travellers from Britain and the United States.
10:31 AM
Unesco recommends that Liverpool loses World Heritage status
A Unesco committee has suggested that the port city should lose its World Heritage Status.
The threat of stripping Liverpool of this title has continued for more than a decade following development's on the waterfront.
A decision is to be reached when Unesco confirms the sites on its World Heritage List during a meeting next month.
A report by the committee said that with "deep regret" new developments in the city had resulted in "serious deterioration and irreversible loss of attributes".
liverpool - Getty
10:14 AM
Tui has become an 'interest party' in legal action against Govt.
Andrew Flintham, managing director for Tui UK & Ireland, said the firm has become an interest party in the legal action taken against the Government by Manchester Airports Group, alongside Ryanair, British Airways' parent company IAG and Virgin Atlantic.
He told the Travel Matters summit: "At the time of the last country review, many destinations such as Malta, the Greek islands and the Balearics had much lower rates than the UK.
"It was an explicable as to why these were not added and instead Portugal was moved straight from green to amber, without the slightest sign of stopping at the much-vaunted green watchlist.
"We must understand the criteria we are all working towards so we can pre-empt when countries may move into different categories and help our customers with that challenge, and we must understand how the framework is being applied."
10:07 AM
Watch: How Britain has fallen behind other countries in reopening
10:03 AM
Russians' return boosts Turkish tourism prospects
Thousands of Russian tourists began arriving in Turkey on Tuesday, boosting hopes for its tourism sector after a two-month suspension in flights imposed by Moscow due to concerns about a surge in Covid-19 cases in April.
Russian tourists arriving in Antalya, Turkey today - Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Turkey's tourism prospects have been revived by a sharp fall in daily coronavirus cases to around 5,000 from a peak of more than 60,000 two months ago, as well as an acceleration in vaccinations to more than 1 million a day.
The first plane arrived in Antalya from Moscow around dawn, carrying 132 passengers. Some 12,000 Russians were expected to arrive on 44 planes in the Mediterranean tourist hub of Antalya on Tuesday, state-owned Anadolu news agency said.
"In the last two weeks we are seeing better figures and better trend in daily reservations. Russian tourists are very keen to come to Turkey," TUI Fun&Sun Hotels CEO Volkan Simsek told an online tourism meeting on Monday evening.
"Similarly daily reservations that we are getting from the German market are encouraging. The Russian market is going well, the German market is going well," he said, with Germans expected to arrive from the start of July.
Travel trade body considering legal action against Govt.
Mark Tanzer, chief executive of Abta, said the travel trade organisation is considering taking legal action against the Government in relation to its travel policies.
He said: "Abta is looking at whether there are legal channels for challenging the Government's position on travel and tourism, in terms of what analysis did they do on the impact of their own policies on travel."
Pressed on whether that means Abta could sue the Government, Mr Tanzer replied: "We're looking at whether or not that is an avenue that we can pursue, yeah.
"The hurdle for suing the Government is high but we think at least the Government needs to say, did it measure the impact on the travel sector of its own policies, and if it did, did it then decide that the sector nonetheless wasn't worthy of support.
"We want answers to those questions and we'll continue to keep up the pressure through legal channels to get answers."
09:50 AM
Vote: Which long-haul destination would you visit?
If the government waives quarantine for 'amber list' countries for the fully vaccinated, which long-haul destination would you visit first?
UK could lose £19.8bn in July if overseas travel remains stuck
The UK economy will lose £639 million each day of July if international travel remains impeded, according to a letter from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) to the Prime Minister.
This would amount to a possible £19.8 billion loss if overseas effectively delayed until August, warns the tourism body.
Virginia Messina, WTTC senior vice-president, said: "Stalling the resumption of international travel until August could cost the country dearly.
"We simply can’t afford any further delay – we are running out of time and money, with many businesses facing going bust if international travel doesn’t resume in July".
The WTTC urges Boris Johnson to follow four key measures:
Reopen overseas travel for fully vaccinated people, without quarantine
Remove unnecessary testing reqs. for green list countries
Require only one test for travellers from amber list destinations
Set a date to [properly] reopen international travel in line with domestic unlocking
09:29 AM
10 reasons to visit Northern Ireland
Foreign holidays may be severely limited this summer, but there's a beautiful holiday destination right on our doorstep.
Mourne Mountains - Getty
Anna Selby suggests 10 reasons to visit Northern Ireland, including:
For peace and solitude
Ringed by the Mourne Mountains, the Silent Valley is in the Mourne Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It began life as a reservoir in the 1920s, when Belfast was growing and needed a reliable water supply, and was a remarkable feat of engineering. It is now a walkers’ paradise with plenty of trails and haunting memorials to the eight men who died during its construction.
A digital 'Covid Green Pass' should be developed before opening travel further, according to a cross-party group of MPs.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus also recommended upgrades to e-gates at airports to avoid long queues when travel restarts and cheaper PCR tests. The group set out its asks in a report called Covid Green Pass For International Travel, which draws on evidence from experts during a hearing last month about the use of ‘vaccine passports’ for mass events and international travel.
The report said: “While the UK and global population remain only partially vaccinated, and because vaccination does not negate the risk of transmission of Covid-19, the focus of the ‘Covid Green Pass’ should continue to be proof of a recent negative PCR test.
“Vaccines, and therefore a Covid Green Pass, are not a ‘silver bullet’.
“A Covid Green Pass should be considered in line with other strategies to reduce exposure risk and make spaces Covid secure.”
The main NHS app can be used as proof of vaccination for entry to some countries.
08:56 AM
Rise in Cornwall cases ‘started before G7 summit’
An uptick in Covid cases in Cornwall was from before the G7 summit, Rachel Wigglesworth, the director of public health for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has said.
st ives - Getty
Ms Wigglesworth told BBC Radio 4's Today programme cases had been rising since restrictions were eased on 17 May and then over half-term, with 18 to 30-year-olds particularly affected.
She said: "Yes, we did see an increase in some of our case rates, as I say in this younger age population, some time before any of the G7 summit events and we were encouraging a lot of our population - and also the people who visited for the summit in Cornwall - to test regularly so that we could identify any cases.
"So, that proactive approach did identify cases, both in the community and particularly a university which had an outbreak early on, before the G7.
"Quite a number of those cases can be tracked back to that group and then through into some of hospitality venues."
08:38 AM
The rules and advice on amber list holidays
Holidaymakers who are willing to quarantine on their return and people desperate to see loved ones who live abroad are among those travelling to amber list destinations. However, the Government continues to advise against non-essential trips to countries in this category.
We've answered the FAQs on amber destinations, including:
Who needs to quarantine on return
How to get travel insurance
Which countries are letting us in
The difference between Foreign Office and Department for Transport advice
NHS app 'important' for proof of vaccination when travelling
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said the main NHS App, which is different from the Covid-19 App, is "important" as countries are likely to need proof of vaccination status of Britons travelling abroad.
"We can now, all of us, see our vaccine status, see your testing status, on the NHS App," he told Sky News.
"Six million people have now downloaded the main NHS App and on that you can show whether you have had the jabs.
"It's important because we know other countries are going to say that they want proof that you have been vaccinated before you go.
"So, when travel is opened up, we are going to make sure people have got that ability to prove it."
nhs app - AP
08:20 AM
Face masks rules extended in Sydney after spike in Delta variant
Sydney residents will have to wear masks for at least another week after New South Wales (NSW), Australia's most populous state, reported a concerning jump in locally acquired Covid-19 cases.
Ten new locally acquired cases were reported on Tuesday, bringing the total to 21, as officials fight to contain a cluster of the highly infectious Delta variant linked to a driver who transported overseas airline crew.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the mask rules would now apply to greater Sydney, not just seven local government areas, but tighter measures such as a lockdown appear unlikely.
"We have managed to keep everything open and that is our intention. If we want to do this for the duration of the pandemic, we're going to have to adjust, she said.
08:15 AM
Where can you go on holiday now without quarantine?
The measly travel green list includes just 11 destinations and just two of these – Gibraltar and Iceland – are open to Britons.
The full green list includes:
Australia
Brunei
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Gibraltar
Iceland
Israel and Jerusalem
New Zealand
Singapore
South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands
St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
Here we outline the rules in each of the places to which you travel without facing self-isolation on your return to the UK.
08:04 AM
Italy to scrap mandatory masks outdoors from June 28
Italy will lift a requirement that people wear face masks outdoors from June 28, the government said late on Monday.
Mandatory masks were imposed in October last year, when the country was entering a second wave of the epidemic and authorities were struggling to curb surging infections.
Mario Draghi's government has been steadily lifting restrictions since April, opening activities such as restaurants, bars, cinemas and gyms and allowing freedom of movement around the country.
The wearing of masks was one of the last rules to remain in place, and it will still be required in indoor public areas.
07:56 AM
What are the UK's quarantine rules for vaccinated travellers?
All travellers arriving in the UK from amber-listed destinations are subject to 10 days of self-isolation, as it stands, alongside costly testing requirements.
However, the Government could offer an update on rules for fully vaccinated travellers this Thursday. Any rule changes are unlikely to come into effect until August or September, however.
That said, a number of destinations are ahead of the UK in this regard and have already eased rules for the double-jabbed.
Watch: UK 'on track' to reopen on July 19 – but strict border controls in place
Matt Hancock told Sky News that due to the UK's successful vaccination rollout, which has seen 78.4 per cent of the population receive a first dose to date, the country is "on track to deliver Step 4 (the further openings) on July 19, which is good".
He said that the Government is looking to replace the restrictions currently in place at home with "protections that come from the vaccine", however he added that "it is more difficult freeing up international travel".
07:45 AM
When is the update to travel traffic light categories due?
An announcement is expected on Thursday.
If previous weeks are anything to go by, at some point on Thursday afternoon the Government will reveal what changes (if any) will be made to our holiday traffic lights. The changes will then come into effect from Tuesday 4am the following week. The next update after this one is scheduled for July 19, and the one after that on August 9.
Saturday morning door knocks, daily, monotonous phone calls and testing rigmarole are just some of what you’ll experience when returning from an amber destination.
Israel’s strike on Iran on Friday morning will not come as a surprise to Western observers – but it will cause great concern in Washington and London as the region tips closer towards an all-out war.
Samantha Davis, the wife of Star Wars and Harry Potter actor Warwick Davis and herself an actress, has died aged 53. Samantha co-founded the dwarfism charity Little People UK and featured in the final Harry Potter film, alongside Warwick. Warwick announced the news in a statement to the BBC, revealing she had died on 24 March.
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