AS MANY as 30 holiday destinations could be included on the UK's green list, although the majority of Europe is likely to miss out.
The UK's traffic light system will put countries on a green, amber or red list depending on the risk they pose in regard to their Covid situation abroad.
While green countries will avoid quarantine, amber and red countries will have to quarantine, at home and at a hotel, respectively.
The green list is yet to be announced with hopes it will reveal the destinations by May 1, although experts initially feared the majority of Europe could be left off the list due to the third wave hitting many of the countries.
PC Agency's Paul Charles has predicted up to 30 destinations could be on the green list, depending on the vaccination rollout and new infections, saying: "As such, it’s highly likely 20-30 countries could be green from the outset."
For Europe, he says Portugal, Gibraltar and Malta are likely to be the only ones on the list, while popular British hotspots UAE, which includes Dubai, and Maldives could also make it.
The other countries that could be green include:
- Seychelles
- Israel
- Barbados
- Morocco
- Sri Lanka
- Grenada
- St Lucia
- Antigua
- Turks & Caicos
- Falkland Islands
- St Helena
However, government sources have suggested that holiday islands in Spain, Portugal and Greece could also be included, following Transport Secretary Grant Shapps comments regarding an island travel corridor, similar to last year.
When asked about whether he would introduce a similar travel corridor scheme like last summer, he said: "The simple answer is yes. I want to do that again."
The vaccine rollout on the Canary Islands is currently 91 per cent, according to the Telegraph, compared to just 18 per cent in Spain as a whole, meaning it could be considered for summer holidays.
Portugal's Azores and Madeira are at 36 per cent and 33.7 per cent, much higher than the country's 20 per cent, while Greece is prioritising their own islands for the vaccine roll out, meaning destinations such as Zante, Mykonos and Santorini could be included.
Malta and Gibraltar are the most likely to be included because Malta has vaccinated 44 per cent while Gibraltar was the first nation to offer every adult the jab, with 97 per cent now vaccinated.
Also those with high vaccination rates include the Maldives, at 52 per cent, Seychelles, 67 per cent, and the US, 40 per cent.
EU countries are keen for Brits to return – vaccinated Brits can already visit Greece, or those with a negative test, while Spain and Portugal will open their doors to Brits by the summer.
Spain is "desperate to welcome" Brits this summer, according to the country's Tourism Minister Fernando Valdes who said he was optimistic that travellers would be able to return by June, depending on discussions with the UK.
Holidays abroad have been given fresh hopes for the summer, with a senior EU official saying the UK will “certainly” be one of the first foreign nations allowed back in under its vaccine passport scheme, possibly from June.
A document prepared for the get-together, seen by The Sun, cites the UK’s jabs success as a reason to let our holidaymakers back, along with Israel and the UAE.
Here is where you are most likely to be able to go on holiday this year, and where you are not.
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