Thursday 08 July 2021 3:28 pm  |  Updated:  Thursday 08 July 2021 4:12 pm

All the amber list countries you can now summer holiday in (if you’re vaccinated)

By: Edward Thicknesse

Summer holidays are back on for millions of Brits as the government today scrapped the need for those who have been fully vaccinated to quarantine on return from “amber list” countries.

The widely-trailed change to the international travel rules, which transport secretary Grant Shapps confirmed in a statement to Parliament today, opens up the chance of trips to more than 140 countries.

These include big European tourist destinations such as Spain, Italy, Greece and France, as well as the US.

“As one of the world’s most vaccinated countries, we must use these advantages to restore many of the freedoms that have been necessarily lost over recent months”, Shapps told MPs.

The new rules, which will see travellers take a PCR test before travelling home and on the second day after returning, as they already have to when travelling back from “green list” countries, will come into effect on 19 July, he said.

But they will no longer have to take a test on day eight.

Children under 18 will also be exempt from quarantine, Shapps confirmed, even if they have not been tested. They will also have to take a PCR test on return.

“In essence, this means that for fully vaccinated travellers, the requirements for green and amber countries are the same”, Shapps said.

The next update to the green and amber lists is due on 15 July, he confirmed.

Number 10 confirmed that the new rules would only apply to those who had been vaccinated by the NHS, not Brits who received a vaccine overseas.

Relief at last for travel sector

After months of clamouring for travel restrictions to be lifted, airlines and travel firm bosses breathed a sigh of relief when Shapps confirmed the changes.

Tim Alderslade, chief exec of Airlines UK, welcomed the move, saying that the “summer season starts here”:

“This is a positive move towards the genuine reopening the sector has been looking for. Opening up the market for the rest of the summer, this announcement will provide far greater opportunities to travel, do business and see family and friends, and enable many more of our customers to book with certainty.”

Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye also hailed the changes, saying: “This is excellent news that will give a much needed boost to millions of people across Britain looking forward to a more normal summer and reuniting with family and friends abroad.”

Gatwick’s boss was more reserved in his praise, calling the move another “small step in the right direction” and asking the government to scrap the PCR testing requirement – or at least offer the tets for free.

And Easyjet chief executive Johan Lundgren said that the reliance on testing could prove too expensive for many people to travel.

“Expensive testing could sadly make travel out of reach for some,” he said.

Pilots’ union BALPA said that there was a “long way to go”, urging ministers again to provide the industry with a sector-specific financial support package.

Nearly 39m adults in the UK have now received two doses of a coronavirus vaccine. The government now plans to vaccinate two-thirds of adults with a second dose by 19 July.

Passengers will be able to prove their vaccination status through the NHS app or a letter from the NHS. They will also be asked to put their status on their passenger locator form.

Free travel for Brits will depend on the rules in the “amber list” countries to which they wish to go, but many will be hoping that European countries will once again take their lead from Germany and drop isolation requirements for fully vaccinated Brits.

All the amber list countries: