'You have to be desperate and wealthy to fly from next Monday', says Heathrow boss

• What awaits those facing hotel quarantine?

• Great British Getaways: your ultimate holiday planner

• Full 'red list' of countries from which UK arrivals face hotel quarantine

• Our blueprint for getting holidays back to normal ​

• Sign up to the Telegraph Travel newsletter

Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye has voiced his concerns over the new hotel quarantine rules, which come into effect on February 15.

"You have to be desperate and wealthy to fly from next Monday," he told Sky News, "because the cost of all the tests, the hotel quarantine if you're coming from one of the red countries, is just so high, plus having to quarantine for 10 days and being able to do that for many people is just impossible."

While he conceded that the tough new measures "are needed right now" to protect the UK from new variants, he said "they can't last for long."

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, meanwhile, visited Heathrow Airport today and has called for all international arrivals to face hotel quarantine, not just passengers from red list countries.

"This partial approach by the Government isn't going to work," he told reporters. "We are at this crucial stage now where it's a race between the vaccine and variants and the only way through this is to buy time by having a comprehensive system of quarantine in hotels, wherever you come from."

A YouGov survey published today found that more than half of Britons support the Government's tough 10-year jail sentence for travellers who try to dodge hotel quarantine.

05:20 PM

What happened today?

A quick recap of the key headlines:

• Hotel quarantine booking system goes down shortly after being launched

• Half of Britons support 10-year jail terms for travellers who conceal 'red list' trip

• Matt Hancock defends his summer holiday plans

• Sir Keir Starmer visits Heathrow, says 'partial' hotel quarantine is 'not going to work'

• Demand for summer staycations continues to soar

• Mauritius will require vaccine certificates from tourists when it reopens

Thank you for joining us, and see you tomorrow for more of the latest developments.

05:15 PM

Where and when should I book my summer holiday?

That's the million-dollar question at the moment.

Here's what our columnists and travel experts are doing.

05:03 PM

Germany to close borders to Czech regions and Austria's Tyrol

Germany will ban travel from Czech border regions as well as Austria's Tyrol over a troubling surge in infections of more contagious coronavirus variants, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said Thursday.

"The states of Bavaria and Saxony today asked the government to class Tyrol and the border regions of the Czech Republic as virus mutation areas, and to implement border controls," Seehofer told the Sueddeutsche newspaper.

"That has been agreed with the (German) chancellor and the vice-chancellor," he said, adding that the new curbs will begin on Sunday.

• Exclusive: The true story of the British skiers quarantined indefinitely in Austria

04:50 PM

Great British Getaways: 10 amazing UK rail holidays for 2021

With lingering uncertainty over foreign trips, many are banking on a UK escape this summer.

Here are the best options for train enthusiasts, according to our experts.

04:36 PM

Formby: the sandy enclave of millionaires that's ideal for a summer staycation

Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp may be among Formby's residents, but it's the wildlife and shifting dunes that make this coastal town special, writes Emma Featherstone:

Read on for more, here.

04:27 PM

Which holiday destinations could remain off-limits for longest?

Based on the Government's own parameters for allowing travel, it is clear that holidays to some countries won't be permitted any time soon, writes Hazel Plush.

So if you have set your sights on any of these destinations – Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand and Fiji among them – you would be wise to temper your expectations – in some cases, for at least another 12 months.

Read her advice piece here.

04:12 PM

Watch: Matt Hancock defends his summer holiday

In case you missed it this morning: The Health Secretary has defended his summer holiday but said that the public must be "patient" and wait for greater clarity before they book one.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Matt Hancock said he booked his holiday in Cornwall "months ago".

He also said the vaccine rollout was "good news" for the prospect of summer holidays, but that there was still uncertainty for now.

The Health Secretary added: "I hope we can have a great British summer. We are working incredibly hard to make sure that can happen but there is that uncertainty around it."

04:02 PM

UK hotel quarantine: can guests leave their room?

Nope, not for the duration of your 10-day stay, unless your reason meets the following criteria, according to the Government guidance:

'You will only be allowed to leave your room in very limited circumstances including:

• To travel directly to leave the Common Travel Area

• To fulfil a legal obligation including attending court or satisfying bail conditions or to participate in legal proceedings

• To exercise but only with special permission from hotel staff or security. This is not guaranteed

• In exceptional circumstances, such as:

  • seeking medical assistance where this is required urgently or on the advice of a registered medical practitioner

  • to avoid injury, illness or escape a risk of harm (for example situations such as fire or flooding, or cases where domestic abuse occurs within a group quarantining together)

  • to access critical public services including social services or services provided to victims (for example critical access such as for a child to see their social worker)

  • to access veterinary services where required urgently or on the advice of a veterinary surgeon (no animals other than guide dogs would be in a hotel quarantine)'

03:56 PM

'Red list' travellers must land at one of five airports, Government advice reveals

Travellers to the UK from one of the 33 'red list' countries have been told they must only arrive at one of five airports in England when new rules come in next week.

Guidance for those who have to quarantine in hotels has just been published, and states that anyone with a booking that brings them to a different "port of entry" from February 15 must change it to one of those specified.

The accepted entry points are: Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport, London City Airport, Birmingham Airport and Farnborough Airfield.

From there they will be escorted to one of the quarantine hotels which must have been booked ahead of travel. The package costs £1,750 for 10 days.

The guidance states that leaving the room for exercise will only be allowed with special permission from hotel staff or security and is "not guaranteed".

03:49 PM

First lockdown caused 60 per cent decline in travel sales

New data has revealed the impact the UK’s lockdown and border restrictions have had on sales within the travel industry.

Tour operators and travel and accommodation providers saw a 62 per cent decline in sales between March and June 2020 – the period spanning the UK’s first national lockdown when holidays were first banned.

The research from Doji, a card payment provider, studies transaction data from businesses within the travel industry.

It also reveals that while international travel remained off the cards UK destinations, such as St Ives and Plymouth, saw a 62 and 64 per cent yearly uplift in sales in July 2020 respectively, when staycations boomed. But, unsurprisingly, city locations, such as Westminster and the City of London, saw decreases in sales of 37 and 40 per cent respectively, as people were urged to work from home.

03:42 PM

Mauritius will demand vaccine certificates from tourists when it reopens

Mauritius has announced it will require all international visitors to present a Covid-19 vaccination certificate when it reopens later this year.

The island nation has also started inoculating staff from its hotels and airports in preparation, though hasn't said when the reopening will take place.

This makes it the first country in the world to classify employees in the tourism industry as 'front line' workers, putting them on the high-priority vaccine list.

All arrivals to Mauritius, which welcomed 1.4 million tourists annually pre-pandemic, remain subject to a 14-day quarantine period for the time being.

The Chairman of the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Agency (MTPA), Nilen Vencadasmy said:

The best Indian Ocean hotels for a well-deserved holiday in paradise

03:30 PM

More details: Hotel quarantine booking system goes down shortly after being launched

The Government's online booking system for Britons to reserve hotel quarantine rooms has gone down for maintenance on the day of its launch.

Even before the announcement, people going onto the system in an attempt to book rooms had been unable to do so for the first two days of quarantine.

Anyone clicking onto any of the eight airports listed was unable to book a hotel for either Monday, February 15 or Tuesday, February 16. Sources suggested the system had gone live without all the hotels having yet being uploaded onto it.

Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, announced on Tuesday that the Government had agreed deals with 16 hotel firms for just under 5,000 rooms.

Charles Hymas has the story.

03:20 PM

Government meets with petitioners calling for a Minister for Hospitality

The Government has today met with petitioners calling for a Minister for Hospitality. Further to calls from Labour MP Catherine McKinnell, the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, agreed for Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets, Paul Scully, to discuss the issue with three members of the Seat At The Table campaign.

More than 200,000 people signed the petition calling for the creation of the post, which saw it discussed in Parliament.

Robin Hutson, owner of the Pig hotels, was one of the three attendees, along with chef and restaurateur Angela Hartnett and Claire Bosi of Chef & Restaurant Magazine.

He told Telegraph Travel:

Unlike manufacturing, retail and aviation, there is currently no government minister responsible solely for hospitality. Instead, representation for the sector is split between two already crowded government departments: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

“Hospitality is a vast industry and it’s not one size fits all,” said Michelin-starred chef proprietor Angela Hartnett, MBE, whose restaurants include Hartnett Holder & Co at Lime Wood hotel in the New Forest, speaking about the campaign last month. “I think we need someone far more in the know. They would understand the difference between shutting down a 50-bedroom hotel and a coffee shop."

03:13 PM

More delays for Government's hotel quarantine booking portal

The online booking system for hotel quarantine stays, launched by the Government this afternoon, crashed mere minutes after it made its debut.

'We’ll be back soon!' the site stated. 'Sorry for the inconvenience but we’re performing some maintenance at the moment. It is expected that the site will be available again by 15:00hrs.'

It's now 15.13, and the new message reads '16.00.'

We'll keep you updated.

02:56 PM

Comment: 'The Government is risking its credibility by demonising travellers'

Are we in danger of demonising travel? poses Nick Trend:

Read the rest here.

02:46 PM

Queues at Heathrow

Travellers keen to escape (and enter) the UK before strict new border restrictions come into force have been met by queues at Heathrow today. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also visited the airport today to observe preparations for the arrangements that start on Monday.

02:36 PM

Website woes for quarantine hotel bookings

The Government's online booking system for Britons to reserve their hotel quarantine rooms crashed within minutes of going live.

Even before the system suffered the failure, users were unable to book their rooms for next week.

02:30 PM

Boldly going where no cruise ship has gone before

Meet Rob, the first-ever humanoid robotic bartender at sea, writes Benjamin Parker. It – he? – will form part of MSC Starship Club, MSC Cruises' integrated bar and entertainment experience that also includes 3D holograms, an immersive digital art wall and a 12-seater infinity digital interactive table that the line says gives passengers "the possibility to explore space with their own personalised galactic tour".

Rob will make his debut on MSC Virtuosa, the line’s newest flagship, which is due to debut in April. The MSC Starship Club has been nearly six years in the making, the operator said.

While it might be one small step for man, it's a giant leap for robotkind: Rob will pour spirits, juices and syrups, shake, build and stir the concoctions, and finish with garnishes. Rob speaks eight languages, and his LED face will convey emotions, apparently.

02:19 PM

Ryanair launches over 700 winter routes

Looking ahead to travel later in 2021 and beyond Ryanair has launched its winter flight schedule, covering 700 routes.

The timetable includes popular winter sun destinations in Cyprus, Spain and Greece as well as popular ski holiday airports Turin, Milan and Salzburg, while city break fans can choose from the likes of Paris, Venice and Lisbon. New additions to the list of destinations next winter include Barcelona, Malta and Marrakech. Fares start at €29.99, if booked before midnight on February 14 . Dara Brady, director of marketing at Ryanair, said:

02:11 PM

Quarantine hotel booking system live

The Government has launched the online booking system where arrivals from high-risk countries are required to book their stay at a quarantine hotel.

However, currently, it’s inaccessible until 3pm…

In the meantime, Barrister Adam Wagner has some interesting observations from the guidance issued alongside the booking website:

Anyone on income-related benefits can apply for a deferred repayment plan, and there are hefty fines for those who forget to book...

Visitors are welcome and there are certain reasons you're allowed to leave your room...

01:53 PM

Half of Britons support 10-year jail terms for travellers who conceal 'red list' trip

More than half of Britons support the Government's tough 10-year jail sentence for travellers who try to dodge hotel quarantine by lying on their passenger locator forms about visiting a red-listed country, according to a new survey.

Fifty-one per cent of those polled by YouGov said the punishment, which could also include a £10,000 fine, was 'about right', while 13 per cent consider it 'not harsh enough', and only 30 per cent said the measures were 'too harsh'.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock's announcement sparked anger from senior Tories, the travel industry and lockdown critics, and divided Telegraph readers.

It comes as the UK Government is due to launch its hotel quarantine booking platform today, ahead of the new policy coming into effect on Monday, February 15.

Confusion persists, meanwhile, as to whether Britons will be able to take a summer holiday later this year. Hancock insisted this morning that people should wait for Boris Johnson to set out his roadmap on February 22 before booking trips, despite confirming he has already booked his to Cornwall.

01:42 PM

PM has no plans for summer holiday, says spokesperson

Prime Minster Boris Johnson has no holiday plans for over the summer, his spokesperson said on Thursday, after ministers were criticised for giving conflicting advice as to whether people should book breaks at home or abroad.

Asked whether Johnson had any holidays plans, his spokesman said: "No."

"I am sure the prime minister, along with everybody else, is keen to have a break over the summer, but .... he hasn't got one planned," he added.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock, meanwhile, has booked his summer holiday in Cornwall already, and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is planning a trip to Devon.

01:29 PM

EU lawmakers extend airline slot relief through summer

The European Parliament on Thursday approved measures to suspend competitive access to airport slots throughout the summer as the coronavirus travel slump drags on.

Under normal rules, airlines must use 80 per cent of their take-off and landing rights at busy airports or cede slots to competitors. The so-called "use it or lose it" rule was waived last March when the Covid-19 crisis grounded most flights.

The new measures approved on Thursday allow airlines to relinquish temporarily up to 50 per cent of their slots in the summer season beginning on March 28 and use as little as half of those they retain without any permanent loss of access.

The suspension of slot rules has become a divisive subject, with low-cost carriers Ryanair and Wizz Air protesting that it thwarts their growth plans.

However, incumbent airlines warn that failure to suspend the rules would force them to fly planes empty to maintain slots, in a return to the "ghost flights" carried out by some airlines before the first waiver was approved.

Head over to our coronavirus live blog for more.

01:15 PM

10 clever ways to have an amazing half-term holiday without leaving home

Here we go again, another half-term holiday with nowhere to go and very little to do.

How then can you keep the children entertained or make the week ahead feel like a bit of fun and respite from the norm, instead of more of just the same?

Armed with the following easy hacks from our experts, you can turn your home into Camp Coronavirus and create so many adventures, it will feel as if you’ve had a whole week away.

• How to have an amazing half-term holiday without leaving home​

01:07 PM

In pictures: the remarkable evolution of the humble bicycle

The bicycle has come a long way from its first, rather cumbersome, form in 1817, writes Emma Cooke. It has also become a rather controversial subject these days. Those who use the two-wheeled contraptions are often ardent in their devotion – and those who share the roads with them frequently as fervent in their disapproval.

A new book will appeal to today’s cycling fans, and hopefully change the opinions of those less keen. The Bicycle – A Miscellany on Two Wheels charts the impact of the past 200 years of cycling on British culture.

Calling it “the first truly democratic means of transport”, author Peter Ashley opines: “The appeal about bicycles is that we have never become such a single entity with a machine. This remarkable machine has been cycled for pleasure, put to work, sent to war and ridden very fast to set records.”

See the rest here.

12:56 PM

Fury as Shapps throws 'bucket of cold water' on airlines

The airline industry has lashed out at Grant Shapps for wrecking hopes of a travel recovery after the Transport Secretary told Britons not to book holidays, reports Simon Foy.

Pilots' union Balpa said the UK aviation industry was "essentially shut down" and could not survive through never-ending uncertainty and changing restrictions.

Brian Strutton, its general secretary, said:

12:49 PM

'Partial' hotel quarantine is 'not going to work', says Sir Keir Starmer

Sir Keir Starmer has warned that the Government's border control measures did not go far enough, during a visit to Heathrow Airport today.

Labour has called for all international arrivals to face hotel quarantine, not just passengers from red list countries. The party estimates that on Monday, when the new system comes in, some 10,000 people are likely to arrive from the 35 other countries where new variants have been detected but are not on the red list.

Starmer told reporters:

12:29 PM

Sir Keir Starmer is off to Devon this summer

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said he is planning to go to Devon for his holiday this summer, but urged ministers to be cautious in the way they communicate about the summer plans as the pandemic continues.

"It's very difficult to predict what's going to happen later in the year," he told reporters on a visit to Heathrow Airport.

"We've got a holding holiday in August in the UK, but we are going to have to see. It's subject to the restrictions and that's the best anybody can do."

He acknowledged it was "really difficult" for ministers to know what will happen over the coming months.

"I'm not going to stand here and criticise the Government for being unable to say with precision what's going to happen in August, I don't think that's fair.

"What I do think they should avoid is mixed messages - so don't say, one day, through the Prime Minister, 'it'll all be fine' and through the Transport Secretary say 'don't book a holiday'.

12:18 PM

Have you booked a summer holiday yet?

We're asking our readers:

12:06 PM

I got a £90k swimming pool for our Devon holiday home - it was a disaster

Second-home purchases in the UK jumped 59 per cent year on year during the past dreary twelve months. And it's a fair bet that a lot of those cottages, mill houses and seaside cabins will come with a plot of land that's just calling out for a swimming pool, writes Sophie Gilbert:

Why not? Find out here.

11:56 AM

Germany's lockdown extended until March 7

German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged citizens on Thursday to have a little more patience after agreeing with regional leaders to extend a coronavirus lockdown until March 7 and said restrictions would not be kept for a day longer than necessary.

Addressing the Bundestag lower house of parliament, Merkel said the extension was needed to avoid a third wave due to the risk posed by new virus variants.

"I know what we have achieved in our fight against the virus has had, and is still having, a high price," she said.

Germany currently has a ban on arrivals from the UK, due to the Kent variant.

11:46 AM

Milan's Duomo cathedral reopens

Over in Italy, Milan Cathedral (Duomo di Milano) reopened to visitors today.

• 20 reasons why we'll all return to Italy when this is finally over

11:32 AM

New travel rules are 'highly dystopian', says industry expert

Jenny Southan, editor of travel trend forecasting agency Globetrender, tells us:

11:20 AM

WHO warns EU against relaxing restrictions too quickly

Europe is walking a "thin line" with the risk that coronavirus vaccination campaigns are giving people a "false sense of security", according to the World Health Organisation's European chief, particularly with the rise of new variants, Jennifer Rigby reports.

Dr Hans Kluge told a virtual briefing in Copenhagen that the new South African variant, which is more transmissible and may mean some vaccines are less effective, was already in 19 European countries.

He said that 29 of 37 countries in the region had begun vaccinating people against Covid-19, but so far they had only reached 1.5 per cent of their populations.

As such, he warned against relaxing lockdown measures too quickly.

However, he said vaccination was already saving lives, and deaths and cases have both declined again across this region this week, for the second and fourth week running respectively.

11:13 AM

Where to experience the most tempestuous weather in the UK

From Turner’s seascapes to “supercells” in the burbs of Berkshire, nothing thrills us like a proper storm, writes Chris Moss:

Truly great British storms occur infrequently. The Met Office’s Very British Weather mentions the storm of November 26 1703, which caused destruction across Wales, Bristol and the Midlands and inspired Daniel Defoe’s The Storm; the 1859 Royal Charter Gale in the Irish Sea, which led eventually to what we now call the Shipping Forecast; and the ‘Great Storm of 1987’ which toppled 15 million trees and blew a Channel ferry ashore.

Today, Norwich claims to be the thunderstorm capital of England, as does Cornwall, as does Cumbria. The Scottish islands get the force 11 and occasional force 12 (i.e. hurricane force) winds. Orkney and Shetland routinely report big weather and high waves. It all leads back to Turner and the maritime realities of living on a slender island; storms can happen anywhere, because everywhere is near to the coast. Land’s End is a sure bet as it is particularly thin, especially exposed, and jutting out west, towards the origin of most of our weather.

Read the full piece here.

11:01 AM

Airbnb: Searches for UK accommodation this summer more than triple

Not put off by Hancock's stern warnings about booking a holiday just yet, Britons have at least been window-shopping in increading numbers.

Airbnb has today revealed that domestic searches for British destinations for this summer more than tripled towards the end of last week, compared to the first few weeks of January.

A spokesperson stated: "We have seen an uptick in searches to the great British countryside to both the traditional favourites and lesser travelled gems, which is great news for hosts in these communities that wouldn’t normally benefit."

10:50 AM

The otherworldly edge of Britain, home to white beaches, Viking legends and a curious bus stop

Unst, the UK’s most northerly inhabited isle, has a violent past, and a bold future, writes Robin McKelvie:

Read the rest here.

10:35 AM

'It is utter nonsense': Senior Tory on 10-year prison sentence for travellers:

Sir Charles Walker, vice-chair of the Conservative’s backbench 1922 committee, doesn't mince his words when it comes to his anti-lockdown stance. Speaking to Channel 4 on the topic of the tough new penalties for travellers who try to conceal trips to red-listed countries, he said:

10:23 AM

YouGov's poll on quarantine dodgers – what's your take?

Here are the results of YouGov's survey on the public's view of the 10-year prison sentence for travellers who attempt to conceal a recent trip to a red-listed country:

What's your view? Let us know in the comments box at the bottom of this blog.

10:14 AM

Value of summer staycations up more than 80%

More evidence of a boom in UK holidays this summer, this time from hotel technology providers, Avvio.

August hotel and self-catering bookings are 46 per cent ahead of last year, according to data, published today, while the average length of family stays has increased by 56 per cent, and the average value of these booking has increased by a whopping 81 per cent.

Avvio’s Chief Commercial Officer, Michael De Jongh, says:

10:02 AM

Not every airport in the world stands empty

Here's the scene in South Korea today...

09:50 AM

Heathrow boss: 'You have to be desperate and wealthy to fly from next Monday'

Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye said he expects a reduction in passenger numbers when the hotel quarantine rules come in next week.

He told Sky News:

09:40 AM

Can I take a half-term holiday next week?

Nope, warns Public Health England.

Dr Yvonne Doyle, Director for Health Protection and Medical Director of PHE, has warned families to adhere to the current travel ban during the February half-term holiday.

"We are still in a national lockdown and the rule to stay at home remains in place, including over the February half-term break," Dr Doyle said.

"There is no doubt that it is tough, but as lots of people may have time off and children have a break from schoolwork, it’s really important that we all stay local, do not travel around the country and don’t mix households."

09:27 AM

UK will enjoy summer holiday boom – with Britons seeking the countryside over the coast

Domestic holiday sales this summer are expected to reach a 10-year high, according to the latest report from Mintel.

Here are some of the key findings:

• The value of the UK summer domestic holiday market is set to increase an estimated 22 per cent compared to 2019.

• UK rural/countryside holidays will overtake beach holidays in popularity as Brits ditch buckets for boots

• The value of the UK domestic holiday market is expected to recover in 2022

And here's what Marloes De Vries, Associate Director of Travel at Mintel, has to say:

Read more: Should I book a summer holiday now, and which destinations are the safest bet?

09:20 AM

Underwater Photographer of the Year Competition 2021

Click below to see our gallery, with new award-winning images of wrecks, reefs and underwater caves...

09:13 AM

Drop in exports 'shocking sign that economy is starting to struggle, says Heathrow boss

Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye is doing the media rounds today.

Here's what he told Radio 4's Today programme, stating that cargo volumes going though Heathrow were down by over 20 per cent in January alone.

09:04 AM

Aviation must resume in next few months or risk 'really difficult time', says Heathrow boss

Aviation must get back "up and running" in the next few months or else there will be more job losses in the wider economy, Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye has said.

The industry is about far more than people going on summer holidays, he stressed, pointing out that business people and service sector specialists want to be able to travel the world to see their customers and do their job but are not able to at the moment.

Without planes flying, UK exporters are not able to get goods to global markets, nor are manufacturers able to get supplies in to keep businesses going. Holland-Kaye told Sky News:

08:56 AM

Matt Hancock calls for patience on summer holidays after booking his own trip

The Health Secretary has admitted booking a summer holiday to Cornwall.

"I have. That's a matter of fact," Matt Hancock said.

Asked if people should be getting a summer holiday in the diary after Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged people not to, Hancock said:

08:53 AM

Soaring demand for summer staycations amid mixed messages on summer holidays

Demand for domestic UK holidays this summer will exceed pre-pandemic levels, according to a new survey.

The poll of 2,000 consumers by market research agency Mintel indicated that a total of £7.1 billion will be spent on so-called staycations between July and September.

This is up from £5.8 billion in 2019.

Although the value of the domestic holiday market across 2021 as a whole is expected to be 11 per cent short of 2019 levels, Mintel expects it to fully recover next year.

Charles Hymas and Tony Driver have the story.

08:51 AM

UK must restrict travel to 'get back to normal life', says public health expert

International travel will have to be limited in order for life to get back to normal after the vaccine programme has been rolled out, a senior public health expert has said.

Prof Devi Sridhar told Radio 4's Today programme there was globally "a turn towards saying do we want to use our vaccine... to be able to get back to normal life, which means normal schooling, fully open and crowded restaurants and bars, gyms and fitness studios, live festivals, large spectator sports, but the cost is restricted movement internationally."

Quarantine hotels should be brought in for all destinations, not just the 33 hotspot countries, as was the case in other countries, she said.

"We were trying to have it all, but in doing so you end up having nothing", she added.

The "Achilles heel of vaccine efforts" was that Covid would "always be circulating out there somewhere", particularly given the mutations.

Follow our politics live blog for more.

08:11 AM

What happened yesterday?

A quick recap of the key developments:

• Outcry over ten-year sentences for holidaymakers

• PM to set out plans to restart travel on February 22

• UAE's national airline is world's first to vaccinate all crew

• Club Med: Ski bookings already surging for next year

• No 10 downplays Transport Secretary's comments on holidays

• More short-haul airline flights cancelled

• Half term holidays are not permitted, warns PHE