London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Sep 01, 2025

Covid-19: Too early to book a foreign holiday, Grant Shapps says

Covid-19: Too early to book a foreign holiday, Grant Shapps says

It is still too early to book foreign summer holidays, the transport secretary has said, despite countries saying they hope to welcome vaccinated British tourists from May.

Grant Shapps said there were "lots of questions" to answer about "how safe it will be in June to travel".

People in England could be allowed to go on holiday abroad from 17 May at the earliest, according to current plans.

A Greek minister said his country hoped to welcome visitors from mid-May.

Cyprus and Portugal are also among the countries keen to welcome UK visitors.

Under the current rules, foreign travel from the UK is banned apart from for exceptional reasons.

While 17 May has been marked as the date that rule could change - the decision is subject to a review closer to the time.

According to the latest figures, another 190 people have died in the UK within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test, and a further 5,926 positive cases have been reported.

Asked on BBC Radio 4's Today programme whether it was too early to book a summer holiday, Mr Shapps said: "Yes."

He added: "We have said it will remain illegal to travel internationally until at least 17 May - that's an at-the-earliest date."

Mr Shapps said people should look towards 12 April, when he would publish a global travel taskforce report, and said the government was weighing up not only the "extraordinary" UK vaccination rollout but also other countries' vaccine programmes.

"So there are lots of questions, the answer to which we simply don't know yet, about how safe it will be in June to travel around," he said.

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have not set a date for the start of international travel.

Once travel is allowed again, the success of the UK vaccination programme is likely to make British holidaymakers attractive to countries looking to rebuild their tourism sectors, which have been badly hit by the pandemic.

Greece tourism minister Haris Theoharis said his country hoped to welcome foreign tourists from 14 May, during an appearance at a travel trade show.

He said: "Regarding 2021, in Greece we are more than optimistic."

Visitors will be required to have been vaccinated, have had a recent negative Covid-19 test or have coronavirus antibodies, he said.

A pilot reopening of borders is likely to take place next month, he added.

Last week, Cyprus and Portugal said they hoped to welcome vaccinated British tourists from May, and Spain has already said it will not restrict the right of entry to travellers who have been inoculated.

Many countries are working on their plans to allow tourists and it is not yet clear if there will be some form of international vaccine passport or certificate.

Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove is leading a UK government review of the issue.

Greece and Cyprus have agreed to admit Israeli tourists who can prove their Covid status via Israel's "green" digital certificate.

Israel is leading the world in terms of vaccinations, with 101.1 doses given per 100 people.

Domestic cruises in the UK could resume from 17 May, according to the maritime minister Robert Courts, while UK holiday firms reported a surge in bookings following the announcement of the government roadmap back in February.

What are your rights if you book a holiday?


Most accommodation and holiday providers have offered flexible booking policies for future trips, to boost confidence, and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has suggested people should usually get their money back if coronavirus restrictions ruin holiday plans.

If a business cancels a booking or cannot provide a service due to lockdown laws then consumers should receive a full refund under most circumstances, the CMA said.

The watchdog added that customers should not face "disproportionately high" charges if they cancel a trip due to government guidance.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
Federal Reserve Independence Questioned Amid Trump’s Push to Reshape Central Bank
British Politics Faces Tumultuous Autumn After Summer of Rebellions and Rising Farage Momentum
US Appeals Court Rules Against Most Trump-Era Tariffs
UK Sought Broad Access to Apple Users’ Data, Court Filing Reveals
UK Bank Shares Dive Over Potential Tax on Sector
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
×