Holiday hopes dashed with no countries added to green travel list

No new destinations will be added to the green travel list in the Government’s latest update, the PA news agency understands.

Summer hotspots such as Spanish and Greek islands plus Malta had hoped to be awarded green status on Thursday.

But no additions are expected to be made amid concerns about rising coronavirus case rates in the UK.

There is speculation that Portugal – the only viable major tourist destination currently on the green list – could be moved to the amber tier.

That would mean people currently on holiday in Portugal would be required to self-isolate at home for 10 days if they return after the changes are implemented, which would probably be next week.

Additions to the red list are expected on Thursday, with Bahrain, Costa Rica, Malaysia, Thailand among the potential candidates.

People returning to the UK from red-list locations must stay in a quarantine hotel at a cost of £1,750 for solo travellers.

Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said the failure to add to the green list is a “terrible decision”.

He told PA: “They are basically putting at risk tens of thousands of jobs across aviation and the travel sector, and not showing any signs of helping the sector to recover.

“They seem to want to continue to create an atmosphere of fear among travellers, which is totally at odds with other countries.

“There are several countries which meet the criteria to be on the green list so this is clearly a politically charged decision rather than one based on data.”