TUI has extended its holiday cancellations to Portugal until August 17.

The tour operator said it would continue to review its holiday offers "in line with UK Government advice".

Portugal is still on the UK's travel ban list, with Brits advised against all non-essential travel and forced to quarantine when back in the UK.

TUI is allowing anyone with a holiday to Portugal between August 17 and August 30 – which are yet to be cancelled – to amend their holiday for free or to cancel it for a full cash refund.

Brits with holidays to Spain can also take advantage of this, after the UK government removed them from the safe list at short-notice last week, as well as any holidays to the Balearic Islands and Canary Islands between August 10 and August 16.

Portugal officials have slammed the UK for its decision to keep them off the air bridge list, despite having some of the lowest coronavirus cases in Europe.

The decision was made after a spike in cases in Lisbon.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Portugal's Covid rates per 100,000 of the population are also lower than Belgium, Monaco and Andorra – all of which are also on the safe list.

The country has just 12,720 active cases, compared to France's 79,501 and Spain's 118,704.

Portugal's foreign minister said the UK government's decision to continue the country's ban was "absurd", while travel experts have warned the choice could "destroy confidence" in the tourism industry.

Augusto Santos Silva tweeted that the decision was "not backed by facts."

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Regional air bridges have been suggested for countries still in the ban list.

This could allow Brits to travel to the Algarve and Madeira in Portugal, but not to Lisbon.

Similar travel corridors were suggested earlier this year between the UK and Spain, such as between Birmingham and Majorca, if cases remained low.

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