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Only two restriction-free destinations remain for British travellers

Gibraltar beach - Oliver J Davis 
Gibraltar beach - Oliver J Davis

Only two restriction-free options are available to British holidaymakers, as the travel map continues to shrink.

Greece and Gibraltar remain after Germany and Sweden saw their travel corridors with the UK removed yesterday by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. Passengers arriving after 4am on Saturday will need to self-isolate for two weeks when they get home.

And overnight the travel corridor with Denmark was also scrapped following widespread outbreak of coronavirus in Danish mink farms, with a mutated strain of the virus passing to humans.

The news was announced at around 1.30am this morning and affects passengers arriving in the UK from 4am today – giving just two and a half hours notice.

Shaps said he took “the swift decision to urgently remove Denmark” from a list of restriction-free countries after the chief medical officer recommended 14 days quarantine for those who have returned from the country.

Those already in Denmark are allowed to finish their trip, and should follow domestic restrictions once their fortnight of quarantine ends.

The British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar will be the only place left standing from tomorrow as Greece plans to bring in tough new measures to combat rising coronavirus cases.

While the majority of Britons are forbidden from travelling abroad at present due to Covid-19 measures – England entered a second lockdown yesterday – the choices for an overseas holiday when they are allowed are looking increasingly limited.


04:17 PM

What did we learn today?

A re-cap of today's main stories:

  • Denmark loses travel corridor overnight
  • Curfew on the way in Romania
  •  Lufthansa to test for Covid-19 on domestic flights 
  • More than half of Britons plan to carry unused leave to 2021
  • 'Party house crackdown' sees 800 Airbnb listings blocked
  • False Covid-19 test certificate leads to seven arrests

Join us tomorrow for more rolling news from the world of travel.


04:12 PM

Would you go on a cruise to nowhere?

Singapore’s first cruise to nowhere set sail today. The cruises, classed as round trips, are open only to its residents and sail for a few days in waters just off the city-state.

They follow flights to nowhere in some parts of Asia that take off and land at the same airport.

Environmental campaigners have criticised such initiatives. Cruise ships generally use heavy fuel oil, meaning they can be significant polluters.

A 2019 study by Transport & Environment (T&E), a campaign group, found that in 2017 Royal Caribbean alone emitted four times more sulphur oxides than all of Europe’s cars combined. Sulphur oxides can cause health problems and acid rain, while harmful nitrogen oxides can also be a by-product from the industry.

Before boarding the 335m (1,100ft) World Dream today, which was operating at half capacity to prevent crowding, passengers underwent coronavirus swab tests before boarding the vessel.

The 1,400 guests are required to carry an electronic contact tracing device and to social distance at all times

03:58 PM

Reasons to be cheerful about travel in 2021 – and 21 amazing holidays to book

Look beyond this month’s lockdown restrictions and there are plenty of reasons to be cheerful about holiday options for next year.

Chris Leadbeater rounds up the best 21 holidays for 2021.


03:47 PM

The 19 countries you can (feasibly) visit once lockdown is over

Despite the Government announcement of a month-long lockdown from November 5 to December 2, the FDCO travel corridor list still stands.

Confusing? Quite...

According to the Government, inbound international travel will continue to be governed by the travel corridor approach, and those currently on a domestic holiday will be allowed to finish their holidays.

This means that visitors to the UK from countries on our travel corridor list won't have to quarantine for 14 days upon entry. However, don't expect any new ones to open up, and it's all fairly obsolete now outbound international travel is banned from Thursday. 

Once travel opens back up again after lockdown lifts, however, we can expect the corridor approach to resume. 

In all, there are now just three places on the travel corridor list that have no restrictions on UK arrivals, and a further 16 with limited restrictions. Here is the full guide, as of November 1.


03:32 PM

Simon Reeve: 'The Cornish think a bit differently from the rest of Britain'

Simon Reeve was supposed to be exploring South America, but, for a new BBC mini-series, had to make do with Cornwall.

Reeve admits, “I haven’t coped very well. It’s been hard, although I have found solace and enjoyment closer to home.”

Here's what he has to say of the experience.


03:20 PM

Virgin Galactic plans first manned space flight from New Mexico

Virgin Galactic expects to launch its first manned test flight into space from New Mexico this month.

The space craft VSS Unity has conducted two previous test space flights from Mojave, California, before moving tia  new base at Spaceport America in New Mexico. 

The spaceport will be Virgin Galactic's base, once it launches passengers on brief trips above the Earth – it is believed Sir Richard Branson will be one of the first passengers.


02:44 PM

In other news...

... apparently there's an election going on, across the pond.

Follow all the updates from the US presidential election, here, as Joe Biden inches closer to victory.


02:30 PM

Further 218 people die with coronavirus in English hospitals

A further 218 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 34,091.

Patients were aged between 42 and 100 years old. All except nine, aged 48-91, had known underlying health conditions. The date of death ranges from 7 October to 5 November 2020.

The North West was the worst-affected region, with 63 deaths, followed by the North East & Yorkshire, which registered 58. There were 49 deaths recorded in the Midlands, 17 in London, 16 in the South East, 10 in the East of England and five in the South West.


02:24 PM

Business travel rules must be "communicated and managed better"

This is a comment from Abby Penston, CEO of Focus Travel Partnership, a business travel consortium for the independent sector, which has 60 members with a turnover of a £1 billion.

Rules for Lockdown 2.0 announced on Saturday and in effect from Thursday 5 November indicate business travel is exempt from restrictions. On the surface, this is great. Better than Lockdown 1, which despite exemptions for a few sectors, advised against all non-essential travel. 

But a clear pathway to business travel recovery, it is not. We are being encouraged to limit travel where possible;  infection rates of COVID-19 are surging across Europe; and many of our key destinations are in some form of lockdown themselves and have, for the most part their own complicated and stringent border restrictions and quarantine policies.

Finally, there is no internationally aligned testing systems at borders. We asked our partners this week what their interpretation of the new rules were and only 18% said their customers would use this exemption to start booking. Unfortunately, 81% said that their customers are confused by the rules and are holding back to see what will happen. So, we have small steps in the right direction, but the rules need to be communicated and managed better. 

Before we went into lockdown, we were focused on air corridors, a thorough testing solution and the removal of the quarantine enforcement to kick start responsible travel. We are now in a different landscape. While the implementation of testing for travellers is an important part of recovery, it is not going to provide us with a silver bullet, especially if it is done unilaterally and for sustained recovery, it is not the only issue that needs to be resolved. 

Not so long ago, it seemed an indisputable truth that we lived in a global economy, but with nationalist policies such as America First holding sway, international co-operation is far from easy - and 60% of our partners admitted to being unclear as to whether the outcome of the US election will speed up the air corridors between London and New York. This is a key route for our industry and it goes without saying that we have been welcoming the progress being made here. 

Aligned international policies over lockdowns and travel restrictions are key, which is why it is so important that the Global Travel Taskforce also continues to work collaboratively with other nations for aligned border policies which will truly kickstart confidence in travel. 

We also need our government to properly engage with our industry and trade bodies so that we can really expedite the right solutions.

With Brexit looming, this country cannot afford to let its travel industry stagnate or risk our standing as a European hub of travel excellence. It must work closely with the industry and invest in it for the future.  

02:17 PM

Rare birds on the decline in the UK

Rare  birds in the UK are declining because warming in the Arctic is causing fewer geese to migrate south.

A study which tagged geese and monitored their movements and density from 2006 to now has found that vastly fewer young come with adult animals when they travel to our shores.

Nowhere else on earth are experts seeing such rapid changes than in the Arctic where the primary cause, greenhouse gas emissions, are instigating warmer winter temperatures and ice loss, affecting the availability of food, competition and predation of animals.

Warming temperatures in the Arctic are changing animal behaviours

Food sources for the geese are also changing as seasons shift due to climate change, meaning that the plants they eat mature at different times of the year.

The research by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, published in Ecological Insights, found that nest predation from polar bears who in warmer climates find it hard to catch seals for food is a factor in fewer young geese growing up and making their way to the UK.

Read the full report, here.


01:56 PM

More frustrated businesses pledge their support to The Telegraph’s Unlock Long Haul campaign

Almost 80 companies have now given their backing to our call for the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to scrap its blanket advisory against all but essential travel and open up more quarantine-free “corridors” to safe long-haul destinations. 

As things stand, only a few dozen travel corridor countries can be visited by Britons without a requirement to self-isolate on their return. This list contains no nations in Africa or Latin America, despite all of them having far lower Covid case rates than the UK.

Britons may, after lockdown, still travel to these destinations, but the FCDO’s blanket warning against all but essential travel – with limited exemptions – means tour operators cannot offer trips. 

“To give the industry a fighting chance, and for clients to have the holidays they want, there needs to be a major shift in the FCDO advice,” said Liz Hall, managing director of safari specialist Africa Pride.

Oliver Smith has the latest here.


01:45 PM

German river cruise ends early after crew test positive for coronavirus

Ten crew members on a river cruise in Germany have tested positive for Covid-19, with the operator saying they are “deeply regretful” about the outbreak.

The cases were discovered on MS Thurgau Chopin on October 31, and all passengers were disembarked in Potsdam, a city on the border of Berlin. There have been no reports of any of the 28 passengers testing positive.

Thurgau Travel operated the cruise in partnership with Nicko Cruises, and a spokesman for the latter said in a statement: “We deeply regret these circumstances and are in close contact with our partner shipping company to clarify how an infection could occur despite extensive hygiene measures.”

At the end of last month 60 out of 92 passengers tested positive for Covid-19 on a folk music-themed cruise sailing from  Passau to Frankfurt. Virologist Andreas Cerny told local news outlet Blick that the high levels of transmission were unsurprising given people “do not wear a mask while consuming and speak loudly with brass music and yodelling in the background.”


01:32 PM

Greece to enter national lockdown – what does this mean for your holiday?

The Greek Government has announced a nationwide lockdown to help contain an “aggressive” resurgence of Covid-19 cases, coming into effect from 12.01am tomorrow.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that the increase in Covid-19 cases “forces me” to take measures now, and that if the measures do not work the impact on hospitals could be “unbearable”, according to the Twitter feed of the Athens-based newspaper Kathimerini.

So what do the new restrictions mean for holidaymakers in Greece? We look into what you can, and cannot, do in Greece as of Saturday.

All the details are here.

Greece - Nikolas Kokovlis

01:28 PM

Restrictions imposed on Norwegian capital

Oslo will see the closure of swimming pools, theatres and cinemas in new measures to stop the spread of coronavirus, officials have said. Bars and restaurants in the Norwegian capital will also be stopped from selling alcohol.

Mayor Raymond Johansen said: “We are doing a social lockdown of Oslo. The numbers are clear. The number of infected cases is rising.”

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control shows Norway’s 14-day cumulative number of Covid-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants is 105.3, with only Finland and Estonia lower.

Yesterday Prime Minister Erna Solberg announced further restrictions and guidelines, encouraging Norwegians to at home where possible and to avoid domestic travel.


01:16 PM

The Welsh 'firebreak' will end on Monday

The firebreak lockdown in Wales will end on Monday, Health Minister Vaughan Gething has confirmed.

"We were very clear with people when we started the firebreak when it would start and when it would end," Mr Gething said. "I think the massive breach of trust in extending the firebreak past the period when we said it would end would have much greater consequences for people doing what we all should, in terms of changing the way we live our lives and the trust people have within Government."

Mr Gething said the "sustained reduction" of coronavirus cases that the firebreak is expected to deliver would not be seen by the end of the 17-day period. He told a press conference that evidence from other parts of the UK, such as Northern Ireland, that were starting to see a reduction in cases was "really important".

"The firebreak will end for all parts of Wales but I just want to really reinforce the point that we can't go back to living our lives the way we did before."


01:11 PM

Does 'Test and Rest' soothe the Covid stress?

You can now combine a night at the Sofitel in Heathrow with a Covid test, leaving you (hopefully) free to visit more destinations. Mark Stratton gives his verdict on the package.

I checked into the 605-room Sofitel at around 3pm and was handed the HALO coronavirus test kit by the receptionist. The HALO test is an easier one to administer. I scanned a QR code at the front desk, which issued step-by-step instructions, although one small snag was that the app doesn’t scan with Android phones, just Apple. However, Socrates – not the ancient Greek sophist but a junior manager – came to my room to show me how to input the barcode manually to access the app.
The HALO test - Mark Stratton

Read the full story here.


12:58 PM

A commune looking for community

There aren’t many five-year plans as tempting as this one: Santo Stefano di Sessanio, a commune and hill town in Italy’s Abruzzo region is looking for people aged 18 to 40 to move there to help it become a “dynamic sustainable community that is not just a weekend tourist attraction”.

You’d have to commit to a minimum five-year stay but in return you would receive a monthly grant for three years (up to a maximum of €8,000/£7,238 per year), a house for “symbolic rent” and a one-off grant of up to €20,000 (£18,096) to start a business.

The commune’s authorities said: “Despite the fame of the Sextantio hotel and the love of tourists for our Medici village we do not have the human capital necessary for a sustainable and lasting development of the territory. Our  residents currently total only 115, almost half are over 65 and only 13 are under 20  – hence our drive to attract young entrepreneurial youngsters.”

The full requirements are here – good luck.

 Santo Stefano Di Sessanio, Italy - GETTY

12:44 PM

Could Scottish restrictions ease?

Nicola Sturgeon says Scotland’s lockdown measures will be reviewed next Tuesday, adding that she has seen signs for "cautious optimism".

But the First Minister warned against complacency, and said that the restrictions will be considered closely over the weekend and on Monday.

Scotland uses a five-tier system of regional measures, whether England and Wales and both under full national lockdowns. 


12:34 PM

Christmas lists at the ready

With a second lockdown putting even more strain on the economy, The Telegraph is here to help the UK’s independent businesses with a new campaign launched today: Buy British, Buy Local.

Emily Cronin, senior fashion editor at The Telegraph, said:

"Every spending decision is a statement of priorities. Shopping from a small business means investing in a real person or group of people. People who may not be able to resist dancing a little jig when they make a sale."

With another lockdown under way, there may be fewer places to go, but there’s almost no limit to the shops and products you can discover online. Here’s our edit of some of the best independent British brands to shop now, complete with nominations from tastemakers.


12:13 PM

False Covid-19 test certificate leads to seven arrests

Seven people have been arrested after French investigators discovered a group selling fake coronavirus tests at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris.

The network was rumbled after a passenger on a flight to Ethiopia checked in with a certificate showing he had tested negative for Covid-19. This was later found to be false, and led to seven luggage-wrappers at the airport being arrested for allegedly supplying the fraudulent documents.

Officials in Paris said that 200 certificates were found in possession of those arrested, containing the details of real medical laboratories in the city. They would have fetched a price of between €150-€300 (£135-£272) each.

The seven accused – six men and one woman – face up to five years in prison if convicted of forgery and complicity in fraud.


11:53 AM

The truth about skiing in Scotland

With travellers to the Alps facing quarantine restrictions, a trip to the Highlands is one of the last remaining options for skiers this winter, writes my colleague Lucy Aspden.

As we all know the upcoming ski season is set to be like no other. The rules in ski resorts have been rewritten and international travel remains fragile – the pandemic has caused us to reconsider all our options when it comes to a ski holiday. Resorts in the Highlands are now one of the last remaining quarantine-free choices for skiers and snowboarders this winter.
As I found out on my maiden trip across the Anglo-Scottish border last February, intrigued by the allure of the unknown, the back-to-basics reputation of the resorts and the idea of being able to support our local British ski industry, there are many common misconceptions about skiing in Scotland.
Lucy skiiing

11:51 AM

PPE pollution on the rises across UK beaches

An annual litter survey shows that face masks and disposal gloves have been found on almost a third of beaches in Britain.

More than 2,000 people took part in the clean-up in 459 events in September, according to organisers the Marine Conservation Society, who described the amount of personal protective equipment (PPE) they found as “concerning”.

“Considering mask wearing was only made mandatory in shops in England in late July, little more than three months before the Great British Beach Clean, the sharp increase in PPE litter should be a word of warning for what could be a new form of litter polluting our beaches in the future,” said Lizzie Prior, Great British Beach Clean coordinator.


11:42 AM

'Carriers will feel free to act without consequence' – Which? responds to CAA guidance on refunds

Lockdown 2.0 and renewed guidance against ‘non essential’ travel has prompted a rift between the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the consumer association Which? over passenger refunds. 

The CAA has outlined rules for cancelled flights under European EC261 regulation, which enables consumers to receive compensation for cancellations made within 14 days of the booking date.

It said: “This regulation does not apply where the cancellation is an ‘extraordinary circumstance’, outside of your airline’s control.

“Where the government is advising against travel to a destination we consider that this would be viewed as an ‘extraordinary circumstance’ and compensation would not be payable."

In response, Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said: “When major carriers have already said they will refuse to refund their passengers, it is not good enough for the aviation regulator to simply stand by and allow passengers to be left out of pocket through no fault of their own.

“Without clearly setting out any expectations of when airlines should refund, carriers will feel free to act without consequence, as many have done throughout the pandemic.”


11:35 AM

'Party house crackdown' sees 800 Airbnb listings blocked

Hundreds of Airbnb listings in the UK have been removed or suspended in a crackdown on party houses, according to the firm.

The San Francisco-based home-sharing company said it has also blocked more than 13,500 UK reservation attempts in a month after the introduction of a pilot scheme to tackle anti-social behaviour.

More than 800 UK listings have been suspended or removed, including properties that have received complaints or violated policies on parties and unauthorised events, which are banned, the company said.

In August, Airbnb banned guests under 25 with fewer than three positive reviews from booking entire homes close to where they live. The move is part of efforts to clean up its reputation, which included a worldwide ban on house parties.

The figures come after Airbnb announced it is restricting bookings during the four-week national Covid-19 lockdown in England, although long-term bookings can be made for "legally exempt stays".


11:31 AM

More than half of Britons plan to carry unused leave to 2021

New research shows that 56 per cent of Britons are looking to take their unused annual leave into next year, when hopefully there will be a wider range of travel options.

The research, conducted by One Poll for Skyscanner, revealed that on average respondents still have 11 days leave to take in 2020, with less than two months of the year remaining, with 35 per cent looking at the extra days as a way to maximise 2021 holidays.

Dr Oli Mival, traveller behavioural specialist at Skyscanner, said:

“Enjoying a holiday is universal. They give us a chance to step away from the everyday, explore the world around us, reconnect with the people we love and get time to relax. And it’s not just the Instagram photos and sand between our toes that we’re left with at the end, holidays give us memories and lasting impressions which stay with us forever.”

11:18 AM

'I can’t imagine that I will be going home for Christmas'

Dani Ellis, a 33-year-old Londoner, moved to  Rojava, northeastern Syria, in December 2018 as a volunteer with the Kurds to fight against a Turkish invasion, and she has remained out there during the pandemic.

Now, along with the threat of airstrikes and gunfire, Covid-19 is another thing Dani has to grapple with. To date, Covid-19 has claimed 115 lives in Rojava – which measures roughly the same size as Slovakia – with “thousands more sick”.

She spoke to Telegraph Travel’s Greg Dickinson from the autonomous region.

Dani Ellis in Syria

11:02 AM

Time to get very cosy, very quickly

This time, lockdown restrictions feel different, Much has been made of the fact that it’s colder, darker and a good deal wetter than it was in April, and of course that doesn’t help. But more than that, we’ve simply had enough, says Eleanor Steafel.

We’re a nation that can rally – carrying on is part of our DNA – but when your reserves are depleted, it’s hard to keep your spirits up and be glad for more time to batch cook and clear out the coat cupboard.

Why not start with these three ultimate comfort food recipes?


10:57 AM

Our man on a bike answers your questions

Simon Parker completed his Britain by Bike saga yesterday: that's 1,307 miles in 29 days, Shetland to Land’s End.

This morning he's been answering the burning questions in Twitter.

His final report is on its way but you can get familiar with his journey here:


10:46 AM

Lufthansa to test for Covid-19 on domestic flights

German airline Lufthansa will start rapid Covid-19 antigen tests on a twice-daily domestic route from November 12.

Passengers flying between Munich and Hamburg will be tested free of charge before they depart, with the results expected between 30 minutes and an hour. Travellers will only be able to fly if the test returns negative (or they can produce a negative test taken within 48 hours before departure.

The operator said that those who choose not to be tested will be moved to a different flight with no extra charge.

Customer, IT and corporate responsibility director for Lufthansa, Christina Foerster, said: “Successful testing of entire flights can be the key to revitalising international air traffic.”


10:36 AM

Cruises still on the cards in Italy

Cruise holidays will be spared from the Italian government's tightening of Covid-19 restrictions as cases continue to rise, allowing ships to continue operating from the country's ports.

A so-called "navigation ban" was expected to be included, similar to the rules during the first wave of coronavirus. That ban was only lifted in August, which allowed the first cruises in six months to take place.

Instead of forbidding cruise voyages, authorities will allow them to go ahead with previously approved health and safety protocols.


10:27 AM

The rise of the female sommelière

Women are breaking into the traditionally male world of French wine waiting, says Hannah Meltzer.

The world of wine has historically been a largely male preserve, not least where the prestigious (and stereotypically haughty) role of the sommelier is concerned. However, in the past few years there has been a change in the air.  More women have come to the profession, with a few making it to the highest ranks.

Estelle Touzet - Alban Couturier

10:15 AM

'Travel industry needs reassurance'

Danny Callaghan, the chief executive of the Latin American Travel Association, spoke to Telegraph Travel this morning:

"Following the launch of The Telegraph's excellent ' Unlock Long Haul' campaign, I was in touch with a good friend in the House of Commons who put the matter directly to ministers within the FCDO [Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office]. The answer that came back, with almost indecent haste, was a flat 'no'.
I think the reply from ministers does somewhat reinforce the view in the travel industry that senior people in Government just don't 'get' the tourism sector, how it works and the benefits. As an industry we are working hard towards a safe restart, but the lifting of FCDO restrictions due to Covid doesn't mean that there will be a sudden rush of Brits going abroad - many countries around the world are still closed to tourists, airlines are not in a position to just restart flying long haul routes, and so on. In a way, that's what makes the FCDO travel ban redundant, because tourism is only available in places that are 'safe' and have strong Government support, plus travel companies just won't send people on holidays to higher-risk places.
There is an argument to say that if someone wants to go abroad, takes out adequate travel insurance (and there are excellent Covid-inclusive policies now available), and is prepared to quarantine in the UK on return, then why shouldn't they?
What we want as an industry is the reassurance that, as and when we are happy to send customers to countries that are happy to receive them, we won't then have to battle the FCDO to reverse the blanket ban, and that's why we really want to see that rolled back as soon as possible, to give us confidence in our future."

10:08 AM

More than 200 Covid-19 cases are mink-related

Denmark's State Serum Institute, which deals with infectious diseases, has found 'mink-related versions' of coronavirus in 214 people since June, according to a report on its website updated on November 5.

One strain of the mutated coronavirus, which has prompted Denmark to cull its entire herd of mink, has however only been found in 12 people and on five mink farms so far.

Overnight the UK's travel corridor with the  Scandinavian country was withdrawn with less than three hours notice, after Transport Secretary Grant Shapps saying he had to make this "urgent decision" immediately.


09:59 AM

Weekend wanderlust

The weekend is almost upon us, and it's the first of Lockdown 2.0 in England. Francesca Syz has some luxury travel inspiration that will help make it a little bit more bearable, with seven decadent island escapes for the first moment you can fly away

So we've just entered our second lockdown and once again, things we've always taken for granted, like being able to travel for pleasure, are currently off the table. But this doesn't mean we can't ponder and plot our next great escape, to book the first moment we are able. So why not let yourself indulge in a little armchair travel with this diverse selection of unique island hideaways. 

Read the full piece here – and get dreaming.

Eland Island

 


09:49 AM

No freeride this winter

The Freeride World Tour, a leading freeride ski and snowboard competition, has cancelled its events in Canada and Japan this winter due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Hakuba, Japan, and Kicking Horse Golden, Canada, legs of the competition, which are known for their deep powder snow, were due to take place in January and February respectively, but will now be replaced with competitions in Europe, with locations still to be confirmed.

Organisers believe that by focusing the tour around Europe – therefore minimising travel – it will limit the risk of spreading the virus. The final three events of the tour, in Andorra, Austria and Switzerland will still go ahead as planned in late-February and March.


09:33 AM

Curfew on the way in Romania

A month-long national curfew will be in force in Romania from Monday and all schools will close after infections surged over the past fortnight, the government has  announced.

Almost 10,000 cases were confirmed in the last 24 – a record high for the country of approximately 20 million people – and cases have been doubling in recent weeks. Around 1,000 patients are currently in intensive care and more than 7,500 people have died since the outbreak began in February.

Romanian president Klaus Iohannis said: "We have to be very realistic. Tougher and tougher measures are needed to control the spread of the pandemic."


09:12 AM

The rise of 'coliving' in Europe

Read Emma Cooke's first-hand account from Portugal on the rise of 'coliving':

We arrived at the apartments in blazing sunshine, and were led up to a private apartment, complete with a kitchen, living room and balcony. The owners, a pair of relocated Parisians, had spent three years living in Morocco and been inspired by their time there. Berber rugs and beautiful tiles dominated the decor, and unbelievably a hammam was being fitted downstairs in the site’s private office space as we arrived.
“We’ll use this room as a private room for calls during the day,” explained Thomas, one of the owners, as he gave us a tour. “But during the evenings, it will become a massage room, so our guests can have the full hammam experience.” A different kind of office life indeed.
Unsurprisingly, the new site is Outsite’s most expensive Lisbon location, coming in at $1,800 (£1,377) a month – a minimum two week stay is in place. Compared to rents in more expensive cities like London, however, the sunny, stylish apartments are a tempting option. 

The full story is here.

Lisbon skyline - Stephen Knowles

09:00 AM

The key to Unlock Long Haul

Yesterday we announced Telegraph Travel’s new campaign, Unlock Long Haul, which is aimed at kickstarting travel to destinations beyond Europe.

Nearly 70 travel bosses have written to the Foreign Secretary to demand that its blanket advisory against “non-essential travel” is lifted after lockdown.

The letter to Dominic Raab (reproduced here), signed by the bosses of leading firms including Last Frontiers, Martin Randall, Steppes Travel, Transindus, Dragoman, Explore Worldwide and Sunvil, as well as trade organisations such as the Association of Independent Tour Operators, points out that the FCDO advisory means those who wish to travel to non-exempt countries must do so with “inadequate or no insurance, something the Government’s own Travel Aware campaign was set up to avoid.”

Find out more here.


08:15 AM

Denmark's travel corridor gone

Transport secretary Grant Shapps says he has taken the "urgent decision" to remove Denmark's travel corridor with the UK a mutated form of coronavirus that can pass to humans was discovered in the country's mink farms.

Anyone arriving in the UK from Denmark after 4am this morning will need to quarantine for 14 days. The announcement was only made at 1.32am – two and a half hours before restrictions were introduced. Travellers already in Denmark are allowed to finish their trips.

The news comes less than 12 hours after Germany and Sweden were taken off the UK's travel corridor list.


07:58 AM

What happened yesterday?

Good morning.

A reminder of the headlines from Thursday:

  • Sweden and Germany have lost their travel corridors
  • Holidays have been banned until December 2 (business travel is permitted)
  • Tour operators have warned that the UK's second lockdown will crush  'any hopes of recovery'
  • Greece has confirmed it will begin a strict new lockdown on Saturday
  • Travel bosses have urged the Government to unlock long-haul holidays in support of a new Telegraph campaign

Follow the latest news here.