Portugal dropped off the ‘green list’ today, meaning travellers will need to take additional tests and quarantine at home for up to 10 days upon arrival in the UK.
Once again, just like in 2020, travellers are forced to cut holidays short and rush home. So where does this latest move by the UK government leave holiday plans for 2021?
The same old story?
The travel situation is not as restrictive as last year. You can legally travel to many parts of Europe. Some countries, like Spain, require no pre-departure tests from the UK. The cost of PCR tests in the UK is continuing to reduce. There is a ‘green list’ – even if not many countries are presently on it.
The government said they will review the travel list every three weeks, meaning the next review is likely on 24th June – although this isn’t confirmed. If the same pattern is followed next time, the next batch of changes will come into force on 29th June.
With the planned end of restrictions in England on 21st June, there is optimism that more countries will be added to the green list in the next announcement in time for holidays in July.
Busting some travel insurance myths
We’ve seen a lot of confusion in the press over the last few weeks around what travel insurance can and can’t cover. So, here are a few myth-busters for you:
- You CAN get travel insurance to an amber list country
- You CAN be insured against FCDO advice if travelling within the European Union, but only if the advice is against “all but essential travel”. You'll need to add the 'FCDO Travel Advice Extension' to your travel insurance policy.
- You CAN be insured for missing your holiday if you catch COVID-19 before travelling. You'll need to add the 'COVID-19 Cancellation' extension to your travel insurance policy.
To find out more information, see our COVID-19 Travel Guide.
Holiday bookings
If you’ve got a holiday booked for this year, make sure you understand the terms and conditions of your booking, especially around cancellation or change of your dates.
Most holiday companies and airlines offer free date changes or cancellation if you decide to do so in a given timeframe. Make sure you know all these details in advance to make an educated assessment of the travel situation.
Holiday companies are under no obligation to cancel your trip if a country turns amber. It’s down to you to know your rights and be prepared.
If you have any questions, call our team on 01243 78000.
