Today, the Government have set out our framework for the safe return of international travel – setting out how we can reopen travel safely, without compromising our hard-won achievements made through the vaccine roll out.

International travel is vital and as we move forward with our roadmap for the easing of lockdown restrictions, we understand that many people may need to travel for a variety of reasons. That is why the Global Travel Taskforce has produced the traffic light system:

• Green: arrivals will need to take a pre-departure test as well as a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on or before day 2 of their arrival back into the UK - but will not need to quarantine on return (unless they receive a positive result) or take any additional tests, halving the cost of tests on their return from holiday.
• Amber: arrivals will need to quarantine for a period of 10 days and take a pre-departure test, and a PCR test on day 2 and day 8 with the option for Test to Release on day 5 to end self-isolation early.
• Red: arrivals will be subject to restrictions currently in place for ‘red list’ countries which include a 10-day stay in a managed quarantine hotel, pre-departure testing and PCR testing on day 2 and 8.

It is too early to predict which countries will be on which list over the summer, and we continue to consider a range of factors to inform the restrictions placed on them. We will set out by early May which countries will fall into which category, as well as confirming whether international travel can resume from 17 May.

The UK will also play a leading role in the development of international standards around a digital travel certification system. The Department for Transport is working across Government to consider the role certification could play in facilitating outbound travel, for those countries which have systems in place. Work also continues to develop a system that would facilitate travel certification for inbound international travel.

A COVID-19 charter will also be introduced from 17 May 2021, clearly setting out what is required of passengers and what their rights are while measures remain in place.

Today’s announcement is a significant step forward in the return to international travel, offering peace of mind to both passengers and industry as we begin to take trips abroad once again – but we remain cautious and will not throw away our hard-won achievements which have come from tough lockdowns and the vaccine rollout.

To view the full ‘Report of the Global Travel Taskforce: The Safe Return of International Travel’, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/global-travel-taskforce-safe-return-of-international-travel.

For more information on the framework to safely reopen international travel, including comments from the Transport Secretary, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/global-travel-taskforce-sets-out-framework-to-safely-reopen-international-travel.