CYPRUS is likely to be added to the green list this week, the country's deputy tourism minister has said.
The UK government is expected to add more countries to the list on Thursday, allowing Brits head to more destinations abroad from June 7.
Brits heading to green list destinations, which currently only includes 12 countries including Portugal, do not have to quarantine when returning to the UK.
Cyprus' Savvas Perdios told Telegraph Travel: "Cyprus absolutely deserves to be green-listed.
"We are one of the few countries in Europe that has been so open to the UK in terms of travelling."
He also said: “We have guaranteed [since] April 1, that not only are flights not going to be stopped, but people are not going to be put in quarantine.”
He added: “We have made a lot of progress, especially over the last month."
Cyprus was one of the first countries in Europe to open to Brits who are fully vaccinated, or can show a negative Covid test, having welcomed UK tourists last month.
However, the country missed out on the initial green list, and remains on the amber list which requires a mandatory 10-day home quarantine as well as two extra Covid tests during the self-isolation period.
In May, Cyprus was forced back into a two week lockdown after a spike in cases, and had the highest cases per millionin Europe (499, compared to UK's 31).
Yet the country has already seen falling cases, with 14-day infection rates at 36.95 per 100,000 people compared to the UK's 34.5 and Portugal's 35.58.
Yesterday, the country reported just 58 new daily cases, compared to a pandemic high of 941 in April.
Their vaccine rollout has also improved, with 44 per cent given their first jab.
To visit Cyprus right now, all arrivals must have a Cyprus Flight Pass, which must be filled in before arrival with details including a negative Covid test, a Covid vaccination or proof of Covid antibodies.
This can also be used to visit restaurants and bars in the resorts as there are still some Covid restrictions in place which include face masks outdoors, excluding beaches, although clubs are due to reopen from June 10.
If the UK's situation improves, the country could be added to Cyprus' own green list which will remove the need for a negative Covid test to enter.
Mr Perdios also said there was "no chance" of Cyprus banning UK travellers, unlike Germany and France who have stopped Brits due to the Indian variant.
Other destinations which hope to be on the green list this week could be the Spanish islands, Malta and Jamaica.
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Travel expert Paul Charles, of PC Agency, has also predicted which countries could be added to the UK's green list, although Cyrus was not one of them.
Thousands of Brits have already headed to amber-list Spain and Greece in recent weeks, with the former requiring no quarantine or tests from British arrivals.
Fourmore countries are also expected to be added to the red list this week which includes Bahrain and Costa Rica.
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