Government set to remove 47 countries from red list

The government has confirmed that from 11 October 2021 (4:00 am), 47 countries and territories will be removed from its red list, making it easier for more people to travel abroad. Passengers returning to England from these destinations will no longer be required to enter hotel quarantine.

The red list will be reduced to seven destinations including: Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.

Welcoming the government’s updated travel restrictions, Karen Dee, Chief Executive of Airport Operators Association (AOA) said: “This is another significant step forward to normalising international travel and should give people confidence to book.

“Recognising more countries’ vaccination programmes is a vital step forward in restarting inbound tourism and business travel, which supported nearly half a million jobs in the UK tourism and hospitality sectors pre-COVID-19 pandemic.

“With the autumn half-term holiday rapidly approaching, particularly in Scotland where many schools will break up for half term next week, the UK and devolved governments cannot afford to delay confirming the date when Day 2 PCR tests will move to lateral flow test any longer. The longer ministers wait, the bigger the impact on forward bookings and the pace of aviation’s recovery.”