British holidaymakers are facing tough new restrictions when travelling to Portugal, Spain, Malta and Hong Kong.
The restrictions come in response to concerns over the Delta variant of Covid-19 which is now prevalent in the UK.
Testing and quarantine requirements have been introduced by several countries as coronavirus cases in the UK continue to climb, with 22,868 positive cases reported on 28 June – the highest number since late January.
New rules for tourists
The Portuguese government has imposed a mandatory 14-day quarantine requirement on all UK arrivals who are not fully vaccinated against Covid-19, putting holidaymakers in the same risk category as travellers from South Africa, Brazil, India and Nepal.
However, the rule does not apply when travelling from the UK to Madeira.
Malta will be added to the UK’s green list on Wednesday (30 June), but the central Mediterranean country announced that from that day it will only permit UK visitors who are fully vaccinated.
Children under the age of 12 will be allowed to enter the country if they are accompanied by parents or guardians who have had both vaccine doses, while those aged between five and 11 will have to show evidence of a negative PCR test taken within the previous 72 hours.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Monday (28 June) travellers who are not fully vaccinated against Covid-19 must have taken a recent negative PCR test to enter the country, with the rule to be enforced within 72 hours.
This means the rule will be in place when the Balearic Islands, which include Ibiza and Mallorca, are added to the UK’s green list on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong has put the UK on its “very high risk” list, meaning arrivals from the UK are banned unless travellers are Hong Kong residents, a spouse or child of a resident.
The territory has also announced a ban on direct flights from the UK from Thursday (1 July).
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