Portugal and Spanish islands will welcome Brit holidaymakers from May

Portugal and the Spanish islands will welcome British holidaymakers from May – but only to those who have had the vaccine or tested negative for Covid

  • Portugal’s tourism minister hopes to allow travel again with testing and vaccines
  • It comes after Cyprus announced it would accept vaccinated Brits from May 1
  • UK government sources insisted roadmap dates would not be brought forward 

Portugal and the Spanish islands have followed Cyprus in welcoming British holidaymakers from the middle of May.

The Spanish government said it hopes to allow British tourists to visit the Canary and Balearic Islands from May, as long as they have a negative test.

Rita Marques, Portugal’s tourism minister, hoped the country would soon allow restriction-free travel for those who have been vaccinated or test negative.

Portugal and the Spanish islands have followed Cyprus in welcoming British holidaymakers from the middle of May. A beach on the Algarve is seen above

Travel experts believe that Greece and Turkey will also announce that they want Britons to return. However, a spokesman for the French government said no decision had been made.

It comes after Cyprus announced it would accept British tourists from May 1 if they have had both vaccine shots. 

Deputy tourism minister Savvas Perdios said these individuals can ‘visit Cyprus without a negative test or needing to quarantine’.

However, the UK Government said that the roadmap states that international travel will not be allowed before May 17.

It comes after Cyprus announced it would accept British tourists from May 1 if they have had both vaccine shots. Akamas Peninsula National Park is seen above in Cyprus

Portugal is currently on the UK’s red list, with arrivals banned from entry, unless they are UK residents or Irish nationals who must quarantine in a hotel. Travel industry expert Paul Charles, of the PC Agency, said that as more ‘countries unveil their opening plans’, bookings will increase as confidence returns.

And airlines are developing a Travel Pass app, which can include a traveller’s vaccine or Covid-19 test result status, through industry body IATA.

Last night government sources insisted that the roadmap dates would not be brought forward and one said: ‘The holiday debate is yet to be had but expectations need to be reined in.’


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What are the rules for entering Britain?

  • You cannot enter the UK if you’ve been in or through a country on the banned travel list (known as the ‘red list’) in the last 10 days, unless you’re British, Irish or you have the right to live in the UK
  • You must either quarantine where you’re staying or in a managed quarantine hotel for 10 days
  • What you need to do depends on where you travel in the 10 days before you arrive – if you travel in or through a country on the banned travel list within 10 days, you must stay managed quarantine hotel; if not, you can quarantine at home
  • You need to provide your journey and contact details in the 48 hours before you arrive in the UK. You must do this by completing the online passenger locator form
  • You’ll need to show proof that you’ve completed the form when you arrive at the UK border as well as proof of a negative PCR or antigen test taken three days before departure 
  • You could be fined £500 when you arrive at the border if you cannot provide proof that you have had a negative coronavirus test
  • You do not need a test if you’re travelling within the UK, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey; from Ireland; from Ascension, Falkland Islands or St Helena; and children under 11 do not need a test 
  • After arriving at a quarantine hotel you will be tested on days two and eight of your stay using a PCR test self-administered in your room
  • In Scotland, arrivals from all international destinations have to quarantine, even if they are not on the red list. 

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