What countries can holidaymakers visit after 17th May and what are the rules for the traffic light system?

​The government has introduced a traffic light system for deciding which countries brits are able to visit after 17th May when lockdown restrictions ease. Holidaymakers going to green light destinations do not have quarantine on their return to the UK but must have a negative Covid test two days prior to their return. Amber light means a 10 day at home quarantine upon return as well as Covid tests both before travelling and before returning. Amber travel destinations should not be for leisure purposes. Finally, red light means a 10 day quarantine in a government managed hotel which will cost £1,175 per person. Again the same as amber you might have a test before leaving and before coming back whilst also not travelling to a red location for leisure purposes.

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You will remember last year there was a large amount of disruption for holidaymakers when they raced to get home and cut their holidays short to avoid quarantine and changing Covid rules. The government is planning to reduce disruption this year by moving countries between the different colours in the traffic light system every 3 weeks. This compares to last year where rules were changing weekly, however the government has not ruled out disruption completely saying it “will not hesitate to act immediately should data show countries’ risk ratings have changed.”

​As well as the risk of disruption from travelling you must factor in the costs of Covid tests when travelling as they are even required when coming from a green light country. Prices of Covid tests are slowly on the way down but as an example a government approved test provider will cost £58. There are alternatives to this however that will be slightly cheaper.

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Currently the only usual British tourist destination on the green light list is Portugal. Holidaymakers can flock to the Algarve without the need to quarantine and I’m sure they will go there in great numbers. Australia and New Zealand are also on the green list but those countries are not accepting international visitors at the moment. The amber list countries such as France, Spain and Italy are typical holiday destinations and it is still feasible to visit these countries as you can quarantine at home for 10 days afterwards, with many of us working from home during Covid it makes it easier to quarantine at home without too much life disruption. Countries on the red list should be missed out completely and these include Turkey, South Africa and India.
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This is great news that travel is on the agenda this summer. Please make sure you are properly insured for your holiday though. Here at A Spokesman Said we can find the best and cheapest travel insurance deal for you.

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