Denmark, the Azores and Switzerland go on green list in latest travel update
26 August 2021, 17:45 | Updated: 26 August 2021, 18:22
Seven countries, including Switzerland and the Azores region of Portugal, have been moved to the green list in the latest travel update from the Government, the Department for Transport has confirmed.
The Azores, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Liechtenstein, Lithuania and Switzerland are being moved from the amber list to the green list.
It means that people from England will be able to travel to these countries without having to isolate on their return to the UK.
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Montenegro and Thailand have been moved to the red list, meaning that tourists returning from these countries will need to quarantine in a Government-approved hotel.
No countries have moved to the amber list, dashing the hopes of tourists hoping to travel to popular holiday destinations such as Turkey.
The new rules will into force from 4am on Monday.
Identical changes have been announced by the Scottish and Northern Ireland administrations.
The Welsh Government has not yet confirmed whether it will make the same move.
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Travel lists, which determine the quarantine and testing requirements for people arriving in the UK, are updated every three weeks.
Many popular tourist destinations such as Spain, France and Greece are on the amber list, which means returning travellers who are not fully vaccinated must self-isolate at home for 10 days, take one pre-departure test and two post-arrival test.
Fully-vaccinated travellers are exempt from quarantine, but must still take one pre-departure test and one post-arrival test.
'Just come up with some coherent, logical rules, and stick to them.'
A spokesman for Airlines UK, the industry body representing UK-registered carriers, said the "small number of green destinations" is making international travel from the UK "more expensive, burdensome and uncertain compared to our neighbours".
He went on: "Too many families are having to look over their shoulders for rule changes and pay through the nose for tests, with no sign from Government that this will change.
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"As has already happened across Europe, it's time for a more proportionate system where tests are dropped for the fully-vaccinated and from destinations where Covid risks are low, with tougher measures targeted at a small number of high risk countries."
Labour's shadow transport secretary Jim McMahon warned that "any loosening of restrictions carries with it risks, particularly from variants that could undermine the progress we have made on vaccines".
