Green list: Holidaymakers will be given two weeks’ notice before changes

The green list will be revealed in early May

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Holidaymakers will be given two weeks’ notice to any change to the ‘green list’, according to the transport secretary.

International travel has been given the official nod to restart from 17 May, under a ‘traffic light’ system. Green countries will face the lightest restrictions, meaning no self-isolation period for returning travellers, while arrivals from the red list will face 11 nights of hotel quarantine.

As well as establishing a green, amber and red list, the government will create a ‘green watchlist’, which will give an idea of the ‘safe’ countries that could soon move to amber.

Last summer, travel corridors to various countries and islands were established and taken away with just days’ notice, giving holidaymakers little certainty when booking a holiday.

This time around, Grant Shapps has signalled that holidaymakers would get a fortnight’s notice as to whether a destination would be removed from the green list.

The green list is due to be revealed in early May.

It’s not yet known which countries will be on the list, although early hints include Portugal, Malta and Gibraltar in Europe, as well as a handful of Caribbean islands.

Inclusion on the green list will depend on the pace of vaccine roll-out, level of infection and the risk of any virus variant of concern.