UK travel red list update: final seven countries removed

Arrivals in England no longer face costly hotel quarantine stay

The UK's hotel quarantine system has effectively been scrapped after the last seven countries were removed from the red list for travel. Getty Images

All remaining countries on the UK government's red list for international travel will be removed, it has been announced.

Latin American countries Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, Peru and Venezuela will be taken off the list at 4am on November 1.

Arrivals from these nations will no longer need to spend 11 nights in a government-approved quarantine hotel at a cost of £2,285 ($3,154).

The measures covering England were announced by Britain's Transport Secretary Grant Shapps on Twitter.

The Welsh Government confirmed that it will adopt the same changes in the red list and vaccine recognition. No announcement has been made by the devolved administrations in Scotland or Northern Ireland, but in recent months they have mirrored Westminster’s changes to travel rules.

“We will keep the red list category in place as a precautionary measure to protect public health and are prepared to add countries and territories back if needed, as the UK’s first line of defence,” Mr Shapps said.

From Monday, the government will recognise coronavirus vaccines for arrivals from more than 30 countries and territories, including Peru and Uganda.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: “I am glad we are able to reduce the travel list even further, giving a huge boost to businesses, families and friends wanting to travel.

“The red list and quarantine remain vital in protecting our borders. We are keeping a small number of quarantine rooms on standby and will not hesitate to take swift action by adding countries to the red list if the risk increases again.”

The end of hotel quarantine across the UK will bring it into line with much of Europe.

The policy was introduced as part of measures to reduce the risk from arriving travellers infected with coronavirus.

But it has been blamed for contributing to UK travel firms struggling to recover from the pandemic.

Karen Dee, chief executive of the Airport Operators Association, said the announcement was a “significant step forward to normalising international travel and should give people confidence to book”.

UK Travel - in pictures

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  Passengers queue at Border Force desks at Heathrow. Reuters

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  Passengers queue for the Arrival Hall at London Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5, due to a problem with the self-service passport gates.

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  Picture take with permission from the twitter feed of @ChristianDJones of closed self-service passport gates as passengers arriving at Heathrow are being forced to wait in long queues or are being held on planes due to a problem with self-service passport gates.

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  Picture take with permission from the twitter feed of @ChristianDJones of passengers queuing for the Arrival Hall at London Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5, due to a problem with the self-service passport gates.

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  Passengers in a waiting lounge at Bristol Airport on October 3 ahead of the relaxation of travel rules in the UK. Getty Images

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  From October 4, the UK is simplifying its traffic-light system governing international travel, retaining only a "red list" from which arrivals must quarantine in government-designated hotels. Getty Images

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  Heathrow Airport has in recent weeks been hit by delays for passengers arriving. Photo: Shona McCallin / Twitter

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  A glitch in e-gates at Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5 caused long delays for arrivals. Photo: @johnny_sutton / Twitter

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  A member of staff cleans a sign at Heathrow's Terminal 5 in west London as quarantine restrictions ease. AFP

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  Passengers arrive at Heathrow. EPA

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  Greeted with an embrace at Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5. AFP

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  Loved-ones arriving from the US at Heathrow. AFP

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  A mother holds a sign for her son as she waits for him at Terminal 5. AFP

“Ultimately, we need to return to a situation similar to prior to the pandemic, in which people can travel without further tests or forms to fill out," she said.

“The UK and devolved governments should aim for this as soon as is safely possible.”

Clive Wratten, head of the Business Travel Association, said: “The removal of all countries from the red list is appreciated.

“However, the lurking threat of further introductions to this list and the continued existence of quarantine hotels means that it does not give travellers the confidence that they need.”

Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said there was “no justification” for the use of hotel quarantine.

“There have been no new variants of concern since May and countries are now learning that blanket border measures, such as blocking whole countries, don’t work," he said.

“The best approach is to check for an individual’s vaccine status and ensure they are up to date if they want to travel without restrictions.

“It’s encouraging that the UK government have finally cottoned on to this.”