UK travellers and the UK travel industry have received a much needed fillip with the announcement that the Canary Islands has been added to the UK safe travel corridor.
From 4am on Sunday, 25 October visitors from the Canary Islands of Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, La Gomera and Fuerteventura as well as The Maldives, the Greek island of Mykonos and Denmark will no longer have to self-isolate for 14 days upon entry to the UK.
The move has been welcomed by the travel industry, especially in the build up to the busy school half-term holiday period.
Light at the End of the Tunnel
A spokesperson for the Association of British Travel Agents said the move was “a bit of light at the end of a very dark tunnel for the travel industry”.
Andrew Flintham, managing director for UK and Ireland TUI, told The Guardian that the addition of its most popular winter sun destination to the safe list was “a positive step forward”.
The good news for UK tourists looking to the Canary Islands for some winter sun is that there are no significant restrictions in place for people arriving from the UK.
Life as Normal in the Canaries
Lanzarote Retreats reports that “the island is open for business as usual”.
Travellers need to fill out a public health form electronically via the Spain Travel Health portal to get a QR code that needs to be shown upon arrival at the airport.
The travel company has also provided useful information on what life is like in Lanzarote at present.
Read Mark Bibby Jackson’s Lanzarote: The Beatitude of Nothingness.
Restrictions on Travel to Denmark and the Maldives
Despite both Denmark and the Maldives both being added to the UK safe travel list, restrictions are still in place.
The UK is currently a country banned by Denmark, which means that only those who have a ‘worthy’ purpose can enter the country from the UK. Tourism is not deemed a worthy purpose.
Similarly all visitors to the Maldives need to obtain a clean COVID test within 96 hours of arrival in the islands.
Meanwhile Liechtenstein has been removed from the UK safe travel list.
The moves have happened as much of the UK has been placed under a degree of lockdown under the controversial tier system.
