‘Too early’ to book summer holidays, says Priti Patel

• Six destinations most likely to make the 'green list' this summer

• When can I go on holiday?

• Key dates in the lockdown exit roadmap

• 20 UK holidays with availability from April 12

• Sign up to the Telegraph Travel newsletter

The Home Secretary, Priti Patel, has refused to confirm whether international travel will be able to resume this summer, saying it was “too early” to book a holiday now.

This comes just days after Boris Johnson raised hopes of a summer holiday in his roadmap out of lockdown, saying that international travel could resume from May 17 at the earliest.

The Prime Minister's roadmap announcement prompted a surge in holiday bookings – EasyJet reported a 337 per cent boost in flight sales and a 630 per cent increase in bookings of EasyJet holidays.

Priti Patel told the Home Affairs Committee: "The Government has been very clear about looking at the data and other factors [such as] a new variant.

"There are too many factors to consider before we can even speculate in a binary way, yes or no, if people should be travelling.

"A lot of work is taking place between Health, Transport and the Cabinet Office looking at potentially – bearing in mind the roadmap has only just been announced – if they can travel, how they can travel."

Scroll down for more updates.

05:35 PM

Today's headlines

That's it from us today. Here's a look at the main stories:

• Greece plans to welcome vaccinated Britons by May

• Heathrow sinks to £2bn loss during pandemic

• Singapore considers vaccine certificates to restart international travel

• Jet2 reports '1000%' increase in bookings

• Border Force: 99 per cent of arrivals avoiding hotel quarantine

• Greece welcomes unvaccinated arrivals, too – Santorini mayor

• 'Vaccine passports' should be on phone app, says Heathrow boss

Join us again tomorrow morning for the latest travel news as it unfolds.

05:31 PM

The best self-catering holiday lets for big family gatherings in summer 2021

There's more! Lizzie Frainier has brought together the UK's best holiday lets that are brilliant for a large group gatherings – think private pools, games rooms and alluring outdoor dining spaces in which to perfect the art of the great British barbecue.

Take a look at these amazing hideaways, from Sussex to Somerset, Cornwall to the Cotswolds.

05:23 PM

The best UK hotels for reunions this summer

If all goes according to plan, holidays with extended family members could be back on the cards on May 17. Looking for an exceptional hotel to see your loved ones? Telegraph Travel's Tom Mulvihill has you covered.

The best UK hotels for family and friend reunions in summer 2021

05:12 PM

Opening ski resorts was the right decision

When ski resorts in Switzerland decided to buck the trend and open slopes and lifts in December not everyone agreed with the decision – in fact lifts in France and Italy still remain closed, while the Swiss have enjoyed nearly three months of uninterrupted turns.

The head of Switzerland Tourism has this week stood by the decision, which, so far, has proved to be the right one for resorts there.

“There were no big [virus] outbreaks, no ski resort became a hotspot, there was no major reputational damage for Switzerland – none of these fears materialised,” Martin Nydegger told the CH-Media group.

Nydegger praised resorts for the implementation of new safety measures and quick responses to outbreaks in the likes of Wengen. The ski season is far from over in Switzerland and resorts there will hopefully remain open into April, if not later, snow permitting.

05:03 PM

Border Force: 99 per cent of arrivals avoiding hotel quarantine

Only 1 per cent of arrivals in to the UK are going into hotel quarantine, MPs have been told by the country's Border Force.

Of the 15,000 people still coming into the country every day, only 150 are going in to hotels – with everyone else free to go home using public transport.

Over the last few weeks, UK residents arriving into the country from the 33 "red list" countries have been forced to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days, at a cost of £1,750 per person.

04:59 PM

EUROs to go ahead – but can we travel?

UEFA's Covid-19 head has said that the Euros will happen this year, and that fans will be able to watch in stadiums.

However, the implication for fans who want to travel are not clear.

The first match is due to take place in Rome on June 11, which comes after the earliest easing of international travel restrictions (May 17) before the legal limits on social gathering are removed in the UK.

The final is due to take place in Wembley on July 11.

Daniel Koch, EURO 2020 medical advisor, said he can not see the tournament, which was supposed to happen last year, being postponed or cancelled again.

"There is no way the Euros will not happen, they will happen," he told Reuters this afternoon. "There is no worst case scenario, there are realistic scenarios and best-case scenarios."

04:47 PM

They're the holidays that naysayers love to hate – but cruises are here to stay

Cruise expert Jane Archer believes that it's hard to think of another type of holiday that conjures up such love and loyalty as cruising.

Read why the cruise industry is poised to return strongly.

04:37 PM

15 remarkable buildings where you can spend the night in April

We love the Landmark Trust, writes Oliver Smith. The charity offers affordable stays in historic buildings in some of the most picturesque corners of the country. What’s not to like? Its properties add a special ingredient to any UK holiday – making them ideal for a spring break to banish memories of our bleak lockdown winter.

Self-catering holidays will be possible from April 12, and, while many of its most popular options book up months in advance, there is still some availability during those first few weeks of freedom.

Find out more about Culloden Tower (pictured) and many other Landmark trust properties here.

04:31 PM

Government urged to help hotels

Hotels in the UK can be utilised effectively as part of the recovery process after lockdown, the chief executive of Resident Hotels believes.

In a statement, David Orr said:

04:15 PM

'Vaccine passports' should be on phone app, says Heathrow boss

Proof of a Covid-19 vaccination should be shown on phone apps, according to the chief executive of Heathrow Airport.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live this afternoon, John Holland-Kaye said: "I think certification and passports are probably the wrong language to use. I think this will be an app that allows you to demonstrate you have had whatever checks are required by a particular country.

"Put it all on an app in a very secure way and that will allow people to travel more normally."

Those without smart phones could use paper copies as an alternative, he added.

04:09 PM

Covid: The UK's latest figures

442 more deaths within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test have been confirmed across all settings in the UK.

Deaths have fallen by 31 per cent in the last seven days, Department for Health figures show.

9,938 people tested positive for coronavirus yesterday, representing a 14.7 per cent week-on-week decline in infection rates. 594,629 virus tests were carried out.

A total of 326,692 Britons received their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine yesterday, taking the total number of first doses to 18.24 million.

26,317 people received their second dose of the vaccine, the highest figure so far.

04:00 PM

Another cruise line delays return

Florida-based Azamara has become the latest cruise line to push back it's resumption of sailing.

Will cruise holidays make a comeback in 2021, and where will we be able to go?

03:53 PM

British holidaymakers risk being set up for yet more disappointment

A litany of failures in the Government's last restart of travel should inspire caution, writes Emma Featherstone.

Read the full piece here.

03:41 PM

The hottest new hotel openings in Greece that you should know about

Dreaming of that thoroughly deserved getaway? Read Rachel Howard's guide to the finest new hotel openings in Greece, from neoclassical mansions in Syros and bohemian beauties in Kos, to sophisticated food in Mykonos and sunset villas in Santorini.

The fun doesn't stop there: our selection includes a cat café, weekly dinner parties hosted by the owners, and city tours around Athens in a cherry red Fiat 500, with pit stops at coffee shops and picnic spots you’d never find without a local.

See them all here – and start planning...

03:28 PM

Cruise ban 'under constant review'

It didn't go unnoticed by cruise fans that there was nothing in the roadmap about the return of holidays at sea.

Beyond the national lockdown restrictions in place since January, guidelines from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advise all British nationals against travel on ocean-going ships.

In a statement today, a Department for Transport spokesman said:

03:22 PM

Will travel industry be represented in the travel taskforce?

Last year Grant Shapps, the transport minister, was criticised for not including those working in the industry in the Global Travel Taskforce.

Giles previously wrote that the Government doesn't understand travel – why aren't they asking experts to help?

03:18 PM

Downing Street press conference this evening

Gavin Williamson, the Education Secretary, will lead this afternoon's Downing Street press conference at 5pm.

It comes after the full return of in-person teaching and learning in schools on March 8 was confirmed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson's roadmap on Monday.

The latest coronavirus news is here on the Covid live blog.

03:04 PM

The walking adventures that will change your mind about cruise holidays

Cruising isn’t just about the water, says Lesley Bellew. The shore excursions are often the best bit.

Find out more here.

02:57 PM

The Sahara meets skiers

Dust from the Sahara makes the sky misty for skiers at the Corviglia ski area of St Moritz, Switzerland

02:46 PM

'Public are keen'

There's definitely optimism surround the travel industry

02:39 PM

Switzerland to begin lockdown end

Lockdown measures on Switzerland will start to ease from next month, its government has said, with shops, museums and libraries all set to reopen.

From March 1 people will also be able to meet in gatherings of up to 15. “With this cautious reopening, [ministers are] aiming to achieve a gradual normalisation of social and economic life, even though the epidemiological situation remains precarious because new, more infectious variants of the virus are circulating,” the government said.

Health authorities have reported more than 552,000 cases and more than 9,200 deaths in Switzerland and neighbouring Liechtenstein since the pandemic broke out in February 2020.

02:32 PM

A summer of sailing?

There's been a wave of cruise bookings after Britons were finally given hope that they can sail again soon. But what does the 'roadmap' out of lockdown acually mean for holidays at sea?

Dave Monk has the answers here.

02:25 PM

Reading and Leeds festivals to go ahead this summer, organisers confirm

The Reading and Leeds music festivals are to take place this summer, organisers have announced on the festival's official Twitter account.

The twin events are scheduled to run from 27-29 August. The Government's roadmap out of lockdown includes plans to remove all legal limits on social contact by 21 June.

Alongside the announcement, the festival organisers posted the lineup for the twin events, which includes big names such as Lewis Capaldi and Post Malone.

India McTaggart has the story.

02:18 PM

Shorter summer holidays under consideration

Longer schooldays and a shorter summer holiday are being actively considered as part of a consultation into clawing back lost classroom time, a minister said today, amid warnings that "a whole generation could be educationally scarred".

Gavin Williamson, the Education Secretary, said the £700m catch up package announced today had been earmarked for schools and teachers to "take action immediately", but said his "education recovery" plan would involve a range of additional options, once the consultation has finished.

Asked if that meant longer school days or shorter summer holidays, he said: "We recently appointed Sir Kevan Collins to look at education recovery…. We are looking at a whole range of different options, how we can support schools, teachers and most importantly children."

02:03 PM

Greece welcomes unvaccinated arrivals, too – says Santorini mayor

Mayor of Santorini, Antonis Sigalas tells Telegraph Travel: "To some extent the messaging in the news currently about vaccine passports and a Greece / UK corridor is misleading. We in Greece want to make it clear that everyone can visit Greece provided they show a negative Covid test and this is not just limited to those who have had the vaccine and possess a vaccine passport.

"It is important that this message is conveyed since the UK and European travel is vital to pave the way for tourism recovery. We would not want the impression to be that only those who are vaccinated can visit Greece. In light of the recent announcement by the UK government today we are hopeful that May will indeed see British tourists return to Greece.

"Given that the British account for one of the largest proportion of travellers in Greece and that one in five Greeks is reliant on tourism-related work, this will be a much welcome relief. In 2019 more than 3.5 million British holidays travelled to Greece, bringing in more than 2.5 billion to the country’s economy — hence it goes without saying that UK travellers are an instrumental lifeline to get Santorini back on its feet.

"As with last year, Santorini hotels are taking all the necessary precautions and ensuring that the health security of guests and staff is the number one priority."

01:53 PM

Australian states ease curbs on dancing

Two Australian states will soon allow dancing at indoor venues, after several weeks of no Covid-19 cases.

In New South Wales, 30 people will be allowed to dance at weddings and up to 30 can sing together indoors (up from five, currently). Households will be allowed to host 50 guests, up from 30.

The state has logged no new infections for 38 days in a row, and the country has entered the third day of its nationwide vaccination programme.

“With the rollout of the vaccine now underway and no new locally acquired cases in NSW, we are able to make further changes towards a new COVID normal,” state Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters.

Restrictions are also being eased in South Australia from Friday. Dancing will be allowed at smaller venues with capacities of less than 200 people, while at bigger venues, 50 will be able to dance at a time in a designated area.

01:36 PM

'We've bigger worries than Covid – we're hungry': Cubans long for the return of tourists

Mark Stratton reports from Cuba:

Read his full report, here.

01:33 PM

When will we be able to travel across the country to visit family?

Those with family across the country, take note.

Mike Walker: I live in Cheshire, when will I be allowed to visit friends and family in London by train for either a day trip to meet outside or an overnight stay?

Telegraph's Dan Capurro: The roadmap advises to minimise domestic travel until stage three (beginning no earlier than May 17). This is the point at which indoor mixing is allowed too. An overnight stay in your own separate accommodation (ie not the homes of others) is permitted in stage two (beginning no earlier than April 12).

01:32 PM

Join our LIVE Q&A

Boris Johnson has insisted that the "the end really is in sight" after unveiling his roadmap out of lockdown on Monday. The plan, which consists of four different stages, will lead to all lockdown restrictions being lifted on June 21.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock, however, has already warned Britons that the time period between each of the four steps in the roadmap out of lockdown is more likely to be extended than shortened. Questions also remain over whether vaccine passports could be used to unlock Britain's economy as well as international travel.

With weddings and holidays once again a possibility, Britons can plan for the future, but will normality resume before the end of the summer?

The editor of The Telegraph's Front Bench newsletter, Dan Capurro, answers all your questions, LIVE.

01:26 PM

Psst

Here are some tranquil things to do in London's quietest boroughs.

01:18 PM

Tanzanian president softens stance on Covid-19 as he urges citizens to wear masks

Tanzania’s president John Magufuli has urged citizens to take precautions against Covid-19 and wear masks, signalling a partial U-turn on his previous denial of the existence of the virus.

Mr Magufuli's comments came hours after the World Health Organization director-general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, renewed calls for the country to share its virus data, saying the situation was very concerning.

Speaking at St Peter’s Parish in Dar es Salaam, Mr Magufuli, who nine months earlier declared Tanzania Covid-19 free, said that citizens should listen to the advice of health experts and wear face masks, but only those locally-made. Masks coming from abroad could not be trusted, he said.

Tanzania officially stopped registering the number of cases and deaths from the coronavirus in May 2020, after President Magufuli alleged that the national laboratory was returning false positives. At the time, the country had registered 509 cases and 21 deaths.

Read the full story here.

01:14 PM

Meanwhile, in hotel quarantine...

Those first people who entered hotel quarantine last week will be able to leave this Friday. Here's a quick look at how they're getting on...

01:00 PM

Is it too early to book?

Our consumer travel expert Nick Trend writes: " Personally, I would wait until April 12 before booking a foreign holiday in May or June."

This is because on April 12, the newly formed Global Travel Task Force will submit a review on whether it is, indeed, safe to reopen borders and international travel on May 17. Remember that May 17 has been named as the earliest holidays can resume, but not necessarily the date on which they will.

If you do book a summer holiday now, Nick explains the benefits of booking with a tour operator:

"Your money will be protected against the operator going out of business and you also have a legal right to a refund if the trip has to be cancelled. Double-check though, before you book, that your holiday is covered under the Atol protection scheme."

12:56 PM

Climate change could make the UK seaside more like the Med – and Spain too hot to handle

Feb 22, 2050… and now, a weather forecast from MetMan, sponsored by Dolly’s Carbon-free Brollies:

“Well, it looks like we’re in for another day of blizzards along Oxford Street, a small but potentially devastating hurricane at Land’s End and the potential for some localised flooding around the Isle of Billinge in The County Formerly Known as Lancashire.

“As usual, the best of the weather will be on the dry uplands of Penninesville, with positively balmy conditions in Bradford, the capital. Meanwhile, in Northern Ireland, it’ll be non-stop sunshine, as usual.”

Projecting ahead is a risky business. Climate experts’ predictions for the UK and its neighbours range from a few more storms here and there to catastrophic flooding. Warmer weather is expected with some models predicting temperatures up to 5.4C hotter by 2070, while winters could also be up to 4.2C warmer. That would make Eastbourne feel more like Nice in July, even if it didn’t quite look the part. But it might spell the end of the annual Cairngorm ski season.

One thing's for sure. Things are definitely, incontrovertibly, indubitably changing. Scotland’s top 10 warmest years have all occurred since 1997 since records began in 1884. Wales has seen a 13% rise in annual rainfall since the 1960s.

What could climate change mean for tourism? Chris Moss explores.

12:47 PM

In pictures: How lockdown emptied the world's most popular tourist destinations

It’s hard to fathom that, just over a year ago, we would stand elbow-to-elbow with our fellow humans, without a second thought as to whether they might infect us with a highly contagious disease called Covid-19.

Today we take a deep dive into how the pandemic emptied the world's busiest spots.

12:24 PM

Greece plans to welcome vaccinated Britons by May

British holidaymakers with proof of vaccination will be able to travel to Greece as early as May, under plans being discussed in Athens.

Under the fast-tracked plans Greece would be breaking from the European Union, which is pushing for a cautious approach to reopening for non-essential travel from outside the bloc.

Greece has already forged a ‘vaccine bubble’ agreement with Israel and Cyprus, meaning vaccinated people will be able to travel between the countries without the need to quarantine.

Under the UK Government’s roadmap, issued on Monday, the earliest date that international holidays will resume is May 17.

Other popular holiday destinations, including the Balearics, have made positive sounds about welcoming vaccinated UK holidaymakers from May.

The Balearic Islands' Minister for Tourism, Iago Negueruela, told Telegraph Travel: "The Balearic Islands has proposed to Spain’s central government that the archipelago becomes one of the first places where the vaccine passport is trialled.

“We are gradually reopening the economy, and we hope to kick start the tourism season in May. We are working hard behind the scenes to ensure a safe return to tourism so that we are ready for when British visitors are able to travel once more.”

11:59 AM

Your views

Here's what Telegraph Readers are saying about vaccine passports today.

Peter Carr

"I'm sorry - but WHAT is the fuss about? For YEARS (pre-anything ...ever) we have had to have proof of vaccination for rabies / tetnus / typhoid to travel to certain countries? This is a total storm in a tea cup - OF COURSE you need to prove you have been vaccinated to travel."

Steven Rose

"Before one gets too excited, it is probably worth remembering that "vaccinated [people]", according to the EU, include only those who have had two weeks since their second jab. That probably puts most of us into the Autumn."

Kez King

"So we’re being pushed down this vaccine passport rabbit hole for the chance of a holiday in Greece? I’m happy to strike that country off the list and any others that insist on our population taking a needless jab just to visit them. Or is this the Government / Blair striking a deal with humble Greece just to get this over the line? I’m far more inclined to believe the latter."

11:41 AM

Has a year of lockdowns changed Britain for good?

Our man, Simon Parker, is cycling the length of Britain to find out.

You can follow his journey with Telegraph Travel this spring.

11:21 AM

Exclusive: Faster path to freedom if Covid jabs exceed expectations

Boris Johnson's roadmap out of lockdown could be accelerated if real world data on the effect of vaccines is better than expected, Government sources have told The Telegraph.

Read the report, here.

11:11 AM

The secret technology behind Disney’s new Star Wars hotel

Star Wars fans have been given their most tantalising look to date inside the forthcoming new Galactic Starcruiser hotel at Walt Disney World, Orlando, that will take them deeper than ever before into a Galaxy far, far away.

Today, we take a look into the secret technology behind the forthcoming hotel.

10:55 AM

Still have questions on vaccine passports?

Such as...

• Which countries might accept them?

• How are airlines preparing for them?

• What if I am not due a vaccine until later in the year?

• Can I pay to get the vaccine?

• What might the passport look like?

• Is it fair to demand everyone gets a vaccine passport to travel?

Well, you're in luck. Here we answer all your questions on the new technology that could unlock travel.

10:49 AM

The results are in...

More than half of our 1,352 respondents support vaccine passports,

• 50.5% say yes to vaccine passports

• 18.5 say it is a necessary evil

• 31% reject the idea

What are your thoughts? Comment at the bottom of this page to join the conversation.

10:34 AM

Armchair travel... taken to the extreme

You can now take a 360-degree look at Mars.

"It's been what we've been dreaming about for years."

Those were the words of Al Chen, of Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, speaking after the Perseverance rover beamed back extraordinary images, footage and audio form the Martian surface.

The mission to land the most advanced instrument yet in the middle of a crater on the Red Planet had succeeded, and was surpassing all expectations.

Among the most breath-taking footage sent home was a panorama taken just after the rover touched down - the camera sweeping across the dusty, rocky landscape.

10:25 AM

‘Oasis within an oasis'

Is that Japan in spring? Babylon? Some kind of tropical paradise?

Nope. It is, in fact, an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the gardens of Buckingham Palace.

10:07 AM

How will a vaccine passport work?

Let's turn to Israel, to find out.

10:02 AM

The international vaccination drive

How does the UK compare with our European neighbours?

09:54 AM

Looking closer to home for your next holiday?

Take a deep dive into our Great British Getaways hub. From walking trips to city breaks via coastal escapes and activity holidays.

Find inspiration for your next UK getaway here.

09:50 AM

Singapore considers vaccine certificates to restart international travel

Another day, another country says vaccine passports are the key to unlocking international travel.

Singapore is discussing the mutual recognition of vaccine certificates with other countries, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said. He described it as a necessary step towards resuming global travel.

"Even if each of us gears up to secure our own supplies, we must cooperate internationally so that all countries including developing ones have access to vaccines for their people," Lee said in a video recording posted on Facebook on Wednesday.

"We are also discussing mutual recognition of vaccine certification with interested countries," he said, though Lee did not specify the countries.

09:44 AM

Channel migrants should face 'red list' quarantine, say Tory MPs

Channel migrants should face "red list" quarantine, Tory MPs have said amid fears that high Covid rates in northern France could be carried into the UK.

As more than 100 migrants reached the UK in two days, the MPs urged the Home Office to tighten quarantine restrictions on them to match the "enforced" self-isolation imposed on arrivals from the 33 "red list" countries linked to the new South African and Brazil variant.

Covid rates in northern France are up to 15 times those in Dover, while there is concern that without knowing the routes that migrants, including Africans, took to reach the UK, it raises the risk of new variants entering Britain. Migrants are currently housed in hotels in and around Dover.

Read the full report here.

09:36 AM

One hour left to vote in our poll...

Currently, it seems that there's majority support for vaccine passports to open up travel... make sure you have your say before the poll closes at 10.40am.

09:34 AM

Looking to book a UK holiday after April 12?

Desperate to finally book that UK holiday? Before you do, take these wise words from our consumer expert, Nick Trend.

What should I consider?

09:28 AM

Analysis: why is Greece a top candidate for a May holiday?

Vaccines administered: 762,624 doses (7.1% of population)

Cases per 100,000 (7 days): 85.2

There are a number of reasons why Greece is on our holiday green watchlist. The first is that it has a track record of opening its doors during a pandemic. Last summer Greece was one of the first destinations to reopen to tourism (on June 15) and Greece was a trailblazer when it came to testing arrivals rather than putting them into a mandatory quarantine.

Early in 2021, Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis became the first European leader to call for a vaccine certificate as a means to scrap quarantine and tests for arrivals. Speaking on Bloomberg last Tuesday, he said: “People will want to travel, especially during the summer, and it doesn’t make much sense not to facilitate travel – to the extent that we feel comfortable – to welcome people who have been vaccinated.”

“For those who have been vaccinated, we want to make it as easy as possible for them to be able to travel to Greece.” He added that those who have not been vaccinated will need to take tests to enter Greece.

Mitsotakis is already putting his vaccination certificate philosophy into action. Greece has formalised an agreement with Israel whereby vaccinated arrivals can travel between the two countries without quarantine, and Cyprus is reportedly looking to enter this ‘travel bubble’ by April 1. Now, it sounds like Athens is hoping to get UK holidaymakers in on the travel bubble by May.

Greece’s own vaccination process is digitised and moving faster than many expected, and the country has a track record of controlling Covid-19 better than other European countries. To date, it has recorded 182,783 cases and 6,343 deaths. Portugal, a country with an equivalent population of just over 10 million, has by comparison recorded 799,106 cases and 16,086 deaths.

With all these things in mind, we are putting Greece high on our watchlist of countries for a summer holiday.

09:16 AM

A couple of British sunrise photographs, to start your day

From the north...

To the south...

09:06 AM

The best spring self-catering city breaks to book now

Looking to book a spring getaway for after April 12 (when they will, fingers crossed, be given the go ahead).

Here we round up Britain’s best city breaks, with suggestions on where to stay in each.

Discover the UK's best city breaks, here.

08:54 AM

Jet2 reports '1000%' increase in bookings

Jet2.com and Jet2Holidays reported a 1000% increase in sales after the UK released its roadmap out of lockdown.

The top destinations include mainland Spain, the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus and Turkey.

The company has seen a particular increase in bookings from July through the rest of the school holidays.

08:46 AM

Where is on the UK's 'red list'?

Here's a look at the map of countries on the UK's 'red-list'. Anyone travelling in from these countries must go into a mandatory hotel quarantine for ten days.

And you can find the full list, here.

08:40 AM

Heathrow sinks to £2bn loss during pandemic

Heathrow plunged £2bn into the red last year after passenger numbers fell to levels not seen in nearly half a century, leading to the airport issuing a warning about its future, writes Simon Foy.

The UK's biggest transport hub reported a pre-tax loss of £2.01bn for its full-year compared to a £546m profit a year earlier. Revenues plunged 62pc to £1.18bn, with passenger numbers collapsing 73pc to 22.1 million.

The dire results led the airport to issue a going concern warning, saying the "existence of a material uncertainty... could cast significant doubt upon the group and the company's ability to continue as a going concern".

08:38 AM

Do you have a holiday booked in the coming months?

Our consumer expert, Nick Trend, answers your questions:

I have a holiday booked before May 17. What will happen?

The law here is a little unclear. If you have booked a package holiday, the operator will be obliged to refund you (or, if you prefer, offer you an alternative or a postponement), but there is no clear-cut rule saying when they must do this. Some might hold out until the new Travel Task Force reports on March 12. My view is that all operators should now bite the bullet and cancel all packages due to depart before May 17. Do not cancel unilaterally - wait until the operator does so.

I have a holiday booked just after May 17 - will it go ahead?

Hopefully, but we probably won’t know until April 12 and there are so many unknowns still. We have no idea yet, which destinations may allow UK tourists to enter, nor what conditions over testing or self-isolation may be required. So I’m afraid you will have to grit your teeth and hope – it may be a close-run thing.

08:27 AM

Vaccine passports, yay or nay?

Have your say in our Twitter poll this morning (and let us know why, in the Comments section the bottom of this article page).

08:19 AM

Covid passports under consideration

Covid passports could include positive test results under plans being considered by ministers.

Michael Gove, who will head the review into the potential development of Covid status certificates, will study similar schemes in other countries including Israel, which has introduced a "green pass" for vaccinated citizens.

Israel's launch of a Covid certificate contained in an app, and its success in already vaccinating half its population, has allowed it to open synagogues, gyms and hotels to those who have been inoculated.

It has also granted eligibility for the certificate to those who have recovered from the virus and are not currently eligible for the vaccine. Having contracted Covid, they will have immunity.

"Michael will look at international operators, as he did when he was looking at education reforms and studied systems in Singapore and Shanghai," said a source. "Israel's scheme is something we will examine and it would be odd if we didn't look at positive tests as a factor."

08:10 AM

What happened yesterday?

A re-cap of yesterday's top stories.

• Thailand could scrap quarantine for vaccinated visitors

• Travel companies report record bookings following roadmap announcement

• Greece launches digital vaccine certificates

• Regional restrictions to be introduced in Scotland in late April

• EU orders member states to relax Covid border controls

Now, on with today's news.