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The UK Exclusive Travel blog

The UK Government announces a Traffic Light 'Green List'

The Travel Green List
Is it worth the risk?

The governments pending 'green list' under a new 'traffic light' scheme will define which countries will qualify for UK holiday makers this summer.

LATEST 7th May 2021 'Green List' countries announced
The British Government have announced the 'Green List' of the countries you will be allowed to travel on holidays without concern of having to isolate.
Our take on the news of this new traffic light system and the pathetic list of countries on the list, is that's its just plain ridiculous! There are dozens of small countries and ideal holiday locations where this virus has hardly even touched, let alone any pandemic. Most are totally virus free! But they are not on the list. So unless you fancy places like Israel, Australia, New Zealand, Falkland Islands, Iceland, Singapore, etc. There just isn't much else - except - the one savior, PORTUGAL! The one most wonderful location made it to the green list. The Algarve is going to be packed this summer with all the those wanting Spain and other top destinations choosing the certainty of Portugal as a safe and wonderful holiday this year. It also includes the Azores and Madeira which are also wonderful Portuguese islands to holiday in.
AND DONT FORGET - If your flight is indirect and you have to change flghts on your outward or return journey, you will be subject to the traffic light colour of that country and may have to take multiple tests and isolate at your own expence for 10 days.

Though as usual, confusion is overwhelming in uncertainty of how exactly the new 'traffic light' system will operate, how it will be managed and how safe its going to be.
Among the uncertainties are:-
How red, amber and green traffic light departures and arrivals will operate at busy airports like Heathrow. You may have traveled from a green zone, but how to separate from the other amber and especially red list travelers, considering everyone must pass check in, baggage and passport control and the queue's are going to be immense with possible an hour or more stuck in queue's with hundreds or thousands of other travelers going to and from various traffic light countries.
Separation and social distancing is going to be virtually impossible. A logistical nightmare for sure.

Then there are the differing requirements for countries on the list, irrespective of traffic light colour. Some require testing before departure or days before, while others require a test on arrival or both. Some will require vaccination, some will require quarantine

And the biggest risk is changing traffic light colours. For instance you go to a green list country, but in the 2 to 4 weeks away, the country gets put on an amber or red list. So you arrive back needing more tests and quarantine - at YOUR expense!

While British PM Boris Johnson is saying to open up for travel to some international countries on May 17th, Thomas Cook are a bit more cautious and expected to announce some popular Europe destinations like Portugal, Spain, Greece, Malta, Iceland, Finland and Gibraltar, Croatia will be open to to UK travelers by end of June. Other possible countries could be Israel, Morocco, Maldives, Jamaica and Grenada, and the Cayman Islands to be on the Green list of countries.

Though the Foreign Office which publishes its own independent to government advice on safety and where UK travelers should and should not travel to, may not automatically agree to the proposed Green List traffic light system. This may create even further confusion and possibly leave travelers without insurance cover if they travel to a country not considered safe by the Foreign Office.

Overall, its still uncertain and risky to book that flight and holiday just yet.

While travel companies are desperate to start filling planes and resorts again, the cost of having to cancel and reimburse passengers is far greater than leaving the planes standing idle