Vaccinated Britons welcome in Cyprus from May 10

• The holiday big-hitters on the cusp of the green list

• What holiday vaccine passports mean for your summer holiday

• How far can I travel in the UK?

• Can I travel to Spain? And will it open in time for summer holidays?

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British holidaymakers vaccinated against Covid-19 will be able to travel to Cyprus from May 10 without needing to be tested for the virus.

The hassle-free trips are being offered as the Mediterranean island looks to kick-start its tourism industry, which has been devastated by the pandemic.

The move affects travellers from 64 other countries, including the European Union, Russia and Gulf States.

Currently the island judges an arrival's "risk" based on a colour-coded assessment of their departure country.

"I think it's a fantastic initiative and I think it's very very important for people to know, that irrespective of [country risk] categorisation, if someone is fully vaccinated they no longer require tests to come to Cyprus," Deputy Minister for Tourism Savvas Perdios told Reuters.

The UK Government is set to announce which countries will appear on the travel 'green list' in the coming weeks. However, booming case numbers in Cyprus mean the island could be classified as 'amber' when the first tranche of countries is unveiled, meaning British holidaymakers will need to quarantine on their return to the UK.

Scroll down for updates.

05:00 PM

Today's headlines

That's it from us today. Here's a reminder of the main stories:

• Holiday vaccine passports needed for Spain from June

• UK to use Test and Trace app as vaccine passport, says Shapps

• Vaccinated pensioners to deliver staycation boost to crisis-hit Scottish tourism industry

• EU told it risks forgeries and mistrust it fails bloc's passport scheme

• Portugal to open to Britons from 'middle of May'

• Boeing eyes cautious passenger number rebound in US

• Cyprus to confirm vaccine passports after green list announcement

Join us again tomorrow morning for the latest travel news.

04:51 PM

Matt Hancock: 'Robust measures' at UK border will protect vaccine progress

Discussing the issues surrounding the impact of international travel reopening on the success of the UK's Covid-19 vaccine rollout, Matt Hancock said:

04:46 PM

Country 'on track' for Step 3 of roadmap

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has told this evening's press briefing that it it looking likely that England will further ease restrictions as planned on May 17.

He said that the the data shows "we are essentially precisely on track for where we expected to be at this point".

He added: "As of today we are on track for Step 3 on May 17."

04:25 PM

Vaccination the key for Ponant's ‘Covid-safe’ protocol

Cruise operator Ponant has unveiled it's Covid-19 health protocols ahead of its return to sailing, with all passengers required to have been fully vaccinated in order to board.

Those travelling with the French line will also be required to produce a negative coronavirus test taken within 72 hours of departure.

Ponant said the steps will create "in effect a sealed health bubble" and will be backed up by "decontamination measures when boarding" backed up "by health protocols and barrier measures in force throughout the cruise".

Read more: How (and where) cruise holidays will return over the next year – an expert guide

04:18 PM

The mountaineers ready and waiting to climb Everest, despite the dangers

After Nepal tentatively reopened its borders to trekkers, the first case of Covid-19 reached Everest Base Camp last week. Joe Bindloss reports.

Read the full article here.

04:10 PM

Are people planning to travel later in the year?

We reported earlier this week on how Britons are skipping the summer months to book up autumn 'delaycations'.

A spokesperson for Tui told The Telegraph: “We’re seeing late summer bookings in September and October become increasingly popular with customers. Our most popular destinations are Greece, Turkey and the Spanish Islands.”

This afternoon, online travel agency Opodo confirmed that they have seen a similar upswing for flight bookings from the UK in September October when compared to 2020 and 2019.

The top 10 destinations for UK bookings in this period are all short haul, with Alicante, Barcelona and Malaga taking the top three slots, they told The Telegraph.

Read more: October is the new June – visit these European destinations this autumn

04:03 PM

Mark Drakeford to discuss plans for international travel with Michael Gove

Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford said leaders of the UK's devolved nations will discuss the Government's plans to resume international travel with Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove on Wednesday evening.

Mr Drakeford told the PA news agency: "I will repeat again this evening to Mr Gove my view that the biggest danger we now face is the reimportation of coronavirus from other parts of the world.

"We've done such a fantastic job here in Wales to get us to where we are today.

"Surely the last thing we want is to go headlong into international travel, have people go into parts of the world where coronavirus is in much more vivid circulation, where there are new variants that we don't know anything about, and then to find that coming back here and undermining everything we have done."

04:00 PM

Latest UK Covid figures

The Government said a further 29 people had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Wednesday, bringing the UK total to 127,480.

Separate figures published by the UK's statistics agencies show there have been 152,000 deaths registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.

The Government also said that, as of 9am on Wednesday, there had been a further 2,166 lab-confirmed cases in the UK.

It brings the total number of cases to 4,411,797.

03:56 PM

Vaccine passports may be needed for the long term

Vaccine passports may be necessary for the long term and more neutral language needs to be used when discussing them, an expert has said.

On Wednesday, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced that the NHS app will be used by holidaymakers in England to prove their coronavirus status to destination countries.

The app, which is currently used to book medical appointments and order repeat prescriptions, will display evidence that someone has been vaccinated or recently tested, he said.

But experts says any form of certification may be needed for the foreseeable future.

Professor Christopher Dye, professor of epidemiology at the University of Oxford, told the Science and Technology Committee the language around any vaccine passports or certificates needs to be carefully considered.

03:49 PM

Snapshot: Europe and vaccinations

03:40 PM

France expecting "transition regime" out of Covid restrictions

We reported earlier how we expect to hear the details later this week of France's strategy out of lockdown.

Reuters is reporting that a "transition regime" will begin from June 2 and last until the end of October, and it will replace the current state of emergency.

Prime Minister Jean Castex said: “The epidemic situation continues to improve at a regular pace. Virus circulation remains high but is on a real downward trend even though its impact on hospitalisation is limited, notably on the number of people in intensive care units."

Read more: The holiday big-hitters on the cusp of the green list

03:31 PM

Disney Cruise Line confirms vaccine requirement for UK cruises

Passengers sailing with Disney Cruise Line this summer will be required to prove they have been fully vaccinated before they are allowed to board, the operator has confirmed.

In addition, all passengers – including those under 18 – must present a negative Covid-19 test whether, jabbed or not.

It joins a number of other lines that have made vaccination mandatory, including Princess, P&O Cruises and Cunard.

Read more: Will passengers need the Covid vaccine to go on a cruise?

03:11 PM

Britons looking to September for late season sun

Opode, the flight comparison website, says it has seen a surge in late season bookings, echoing the comments from Skyscanner earlier in the day (11.42am).

A spokesperson told Telegraph Travel it had seen "an appreciable upswing in UK flight bookings for September / October against the same period in 2020 and 2019.

"The top 10 destinations for UK bookings in this period are all short haul, with Alicante, Barcelona and Malaga taking the top three slots."

Spain seeming like Indian Summer favourite for British travellers.

02:49 PM

The four factors for international travel

In the next couple of weeks, we will know which countries fall into which category when it comes to the Government's traffic lights system.

Green will mean no need to quarantine, amber will mean quarantining at home and red will mean quarantining at a Government-approved hotel.

Here are the four factors the Government will consider when making their decision on countries and their categories.

1. Rates of vaccination

2. Rates of Covid cases

3. Mutations and variants in that country

4. How accurate the reporting of Covid is perceived in that country

02:23 PM

Thailand speeds up vaccination programme to reopen to tourists

Long queues have returned to Thailand's unusually quiet international airport this week, after it converted its check-in area into an immunisation centre as part of efforts to speed up its Covid-19 vaccine rollout.

Cordons and suitcases were replaced with evenly-spaced chairs at check-in counters, where immigration and airport staff and cabin crew lined up to register for the vaccines, of which more than 1,000 will be administered each day.

The inoculations provided a buzz of activity seldom seen this past year at Suvarnabhumi Airport, which has been hit by a dramatic slump in passengers and air traffic from weaker demand and tighter entry curbs.

In 2019, before the pandemic came, Thailand welcomed nearly 40 million tourists, mostly through the main gateway. Thailand had only 6,737 visitors in March.

Staff member Siwaporn Singkhrut, who was among the first of more than 30,000 set to receive vaccines at the airport, said there was plenty of room to expand the service to more people.

"Now, only a portion of the airport is in operation, and it would be even better if it were to fully open to the public so people can come and get vaccinated," she said.

After a year of relatively minor outbreaks, Thailand is experiencing its biggest and fastest spread of the coronavirus, with cases more doubling since the start of April to nearly 61,699, with 178 fatalities.

02:05 PM

Cyprus to confirm vaccine passports after green list announcement

Here is some more information on Cyprus's plan to let in vaccinated Britons; the two pertinent points being that the country has not yet said how visitors will prove their vaccination status, nor whether the island has got to grips with its "third wave".

Reuter reports:

While the island's intention to accept fully vaccinated tourists from Britain, its main market, generated a great deal of interest, clarity would only be forthcoming next month after the UK sets out guidelines for overseas travel.

"The strongest positive messages at the moment are from the Israeli and Russian markets," Deputy Minister for Tourism Savvas Perdios said. "We have made a lot of progress there and I think it's going to be a good season."

The island saw an 84% drop in arrivals in 2020. Cyprus itself is now in a third, two-week lockdown which runs until May 9. It has recorded 63,720 infections and 303 people have died.

Asked about the timing of the initiative, just as Cyprus was facing a third coronavirus wave, Perdios said the island still had infection rates lower than many other countries, on record high testing rates

01:37 PM

Boeing eyes cautious passenger number rebound in US

News from the world of business, and figures from US aircraft manufacturer Boeing's first quarter suggest a tentative rebound in air traffic in the US.

Reuters reports:

Boeing Co reported a smaller quarterly loss on Wednesday as increased 737 MAX jet deliveries reflected a cautious rebound in air travel from the coronavirus pandemic.

But optimism in a resurgent U.S. domestic travel market is offset by growing concerns over COVID variants in India and elsewhere, clouding the industry's recovery.

Boeing has delivered more than 85 737 MAX jetliners, out of a backlog of hundreds of jets, since it was cleared by most regulators to re-enter service late last year following two fatal crashes, lifting revenue and cash flow at the planemaker.

"While the global pandemic continues to challenge the overall market environment, we view 2021 as a key inflection point for our industry," Boeing's newly-prolonged Chief Executive Dave Calhoun said in a statement.

01:14 PM

The best 'crowd free' spots in Spain with direct flights from the UK

Spain has confirmed that it will allow British holidaymakers to travel to the country by June, surely opening the door to wave upon wave of travel-starved tourists.

But what if you fancy some place away from the clamouring hordes? Today we take a look at the 20 airports that you can fly to direct from the UK during June, and the hidden spots you can find just a 90-minute (or so) drive from the airport in order to escape the crowds.

See here for the full list

12:49 PM

Spotlight: Is Cyprus over its second wave?

It is all very well Cyprus announcing it is to welcome back vaccinated Britons, but the likelihood of most holidays to the island next month depends on what colour it turns in the new traffic light system.

Its current infection rate suggests it will go 'amber', which means there will be some form of quarantine for returning travellers.

12:30 PM

France's path out of lockdown to be announced

French president Emmanuel Macron reveal the country's strategy to ease coronavirus restrictions on Friday, according to the prime minister.

This should give an indication of when we're likely to be able to go on holiday across the Channel.

“The epidemic situation continues to improve at a regular pace. Virus circulation remains high but is on a real downward trend even though its impact on hospitalisation is limited notably on the number of people in intensive care units,” Prime Minister Jean Castex told reporters today.

12:20 PM

Holiday vaccine passports needed for Spain from June

Holiday vaccine passports will be needed by British holidaymakers to visit Spain this summer, the country’s tourism minister has said.

Fernando Valdes Verelst told a tourism conference in Mexico that Spain would be ready to welcome back tourists using the EU’s “digital certificate” from June, with a pilot programme starting next month.

“Spain is going to be ready in June to tell all travellers worldwide that you can visit us,” he said. There is, however, frustration from UK travel firms that the British Government has not confirmed more details about the resumption of international travel or how vaccine passports will work for Britons.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said Britons will need to "wait and see". He told Times Radio: "Spain specifically, I'm afraid I just don't have the answer to that because the Joint Biosecurity Centre will need to come up with their assessment and we can't do that until a bit nearer the time."

Holiday airline Jet2, which has cancelled all flights up until June 24, said it was "disappointed at the lack of clarity” announced so far. It said its customers are booking “closer to departure” due to the uncertainty.

11:58 AM

Ben Fogle: Like castaways and prisoners, we have become institutionalised by lockdown

The star of the TV experiment ‘Castaway’ says reintegration into society is no easy feat.

Read the full article.

11:43 AM

Scottish holiday home rentals see jump in bookings following easing of travel restrictions

The reopening of Scotland's borders has helped with a surge in bookings for self-catering holiday homes in the country, according to Chris Stephenson, the senior director at Homes & Villas by Marriott International.

He said:

Read more: The hidden Highlands spots you've never heard of

11:31 AM

Italy's forgotten city, with all the beauty of Venice but none of the crowds

Italy is opening up, but savvy city breakers would do well to skip the City of Masks in favour of its oft-overlooked neighbour.

Paula Hardy writes of Trieste:

Read the full article.

11:07 AM

Video: Grant Shapps confirms use of vaccine passports

10:42 AM

Britons choosing to 'splurge' on flights despite falling fares

British travellers are spending less on more when it comes to booking flights this summer, according to Skyscanner.

The flight comparison website says fares are lower, but holidaymakers are choosing to pay more for better-timed flights, preferred airports or options with greater flexibility.

A quarter of more than 1,000 travellers asked said they were prepared to upgrade or “splurge” on their flights.

Hugh Aitken, vice president of flights for Skyscanner, said: “There has been a real shift in the importance between price and value for UK travellers. They are spending - on average - less per fare in 2021 than they did pre-pandemic, due to lower prices and a shift to mid and short-haul travel over long-haul travel.

“However, they are getting more out of each fare by ‘upgrading’ from the cheapest option, prioritising a direct route, flexible fare, a preferred airline or airport of choice over the lowest price. In short, they are spending less and getting more, and we expect this trend towards ‘value for money travel’ to continue into 2021 as providers compete for bookings.”

Skyscanner also found that there is greater UK search for holidays in September, October and November as Britons look beyond an uncertain summer.

10:24 AM

Portugal to open to Britons from 'middle of May'

Some more on the main news from yesterday that Portugal looks set to make the ‘green’ list on May 17.

The country’s ambassador to the UK, Manuel Lobo Antunes, was speaking to Sky News this morning.

He said he believed holidaymakers would be able to visit from the “middle of May”.

Asked when Portugal will be opening its borders to tourists from the UK, he said: "As soon as possible, this is not just a unilateral matter, we have to coordinate this issue with our British friends and the UK Government.

"But we are hopeful, as we have been saying for these last months, that from the middle of May, regular mobility between the UK and Portugal and vice versa, can be established, that's our hope."

Asked if Britons who have not been vaccinated can travel into the country, he added: "Yes, that's the idea, that's what we wanted, to as much as possible go back to the regime that existed before the pandemic.

"It's in that direction we are working and that is possible."

10:07 AM

EU told it risks forgeries and mistrust it fails bloc's passport scheme

The EU needs to ensure it is not left with a hotchpotch of vaccine certificates this summer, a senior official said on Wednesday.

The EU is pushing to launch a shared digital health pass to allow tourists to travel freely this summer. But discussions are not yet settled on costs, data and privacy issues, as well as technical and medical aspects of the new system, among others.

"If we can deliver politically, the technical solution will be ready in time. If we don't, we risk fragmentation across Europe, with a multitude of possibly incompatible national solutions," EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders said.

"We would risk having a variety of documents that cannot be read and verified in other member states. And we risk the spread of forged documents, and with it, the spread of both the virus and the mistrust of citizens," he told the European Parliament.

Tourism-reliant southern EU countries like Spain and Italy are keen to launch the new tool as soon as possible to help their economies mauled by the pandemic. But they face a more reluctant north, as well as lengthy EU decision procedures.

The UK has said it plans to use its NHS Test and Trace app as a vaccine passport.

09:47 AM

'Travellers should be warned of risk' of booking to Spain

Ever the voice of reason, Which?'s Rory Boland has offered his two cents on the news that Spain wishes to welcome back Britons from June.

His view aligns with those of Jet2 (10.25am), that there is not yet the certainty required for holidays to resume with confidence.

09:40 AM

Vaccinated pensioners to deliver staycation boost to crisis-hit Scottish tourism industry

Pensioners who have been vaccinated are expected to give Scotland's tourism industry the shot in the arm it needs to recover by booking staycations this spring and summer, according to an industry report.

A Covid-19 UK consumer tracking report commissioned by national tourism organisations VisitEngland, VisitScotland and Visit Wales found retirees were most likely to be planning a trip involving an overnight stay.

The results reveal that optimism that the "worst has passed" has been steadily increasing thanks to the UK's stunningly successful vaccine roll-out, with 44 per cent of Scots believing this.

Retirees were the age group most likely to be intending to take an overnight domestic trip in spring, for the first time for any upcoming season since the research began in May 2020.

They were also the group least likely to state "concerns around catching COVID-19" as a reason for lacking the confidence to travel.

Read the full story.

09:25 AM

Jet2 'welcomes Spanish government's clarity' and stays ready for June 24 start

Jet2, which has cancelled all of its holidays up until June 24, on account of the lack of clarity being provided by the UK Government on the resumption of international travel, has welcomed comments made by the Spanish tourism minister.

The airline said in a statement of thinly veiled frustration:

"From the huge pent-up demand we are seeing, we know how much our customers are looking forward to their much-needed holidays, and it is great to see the Spanish Government providing clarity.

"The UK Government has already demonstrated a clear ambition to reopen international travel, and we are very much ready to start flying customers on their holidays from June 24. Ahead of then, we look forward to clarity about when we can fly, where we can fly to, and how much a Covid-19 testing regime will cost.

"We know that travel can be started in a convenient, safe and secure way. We will continue to support the Government to achieve this."

09:08 AM

What Covid vaccine passports mean for your summer holiday – and how to get one

It looks more likely than ever that British holidaymakers will be required to carry some sort of holiday vaccine passport for international travel after May 17.

See here for our FAQs guide to holiday vaccine passports, but here is a snapshot on privacy concerns.

How will a vaccine passport keep my data private?

Both Iata and the EU have said they will ensure the sensitive medical data will be kept secure.

Dr Richard Dawood said: “All the apps I have seen so far are based on the idea that data storage is local (on an individual’s smartphone) rather than central, with privacy at the fore.

“The Iata app will also be able to access (private) test results for travel and will link the available data to published entry requirements relating to intended travel, turning ‘green’ or ‘red’ according to whether the requirements have been correctly met, and the others seem to work in a similar way.

"They are still in development and have had some small-scale trials. How the NHS will make vaccine data available, accessible, and verifiable, is the key practical question. It has been obvious from the very start that this would be needed, so it ought to have been clearly thought through.”

08:51 AM

UK unable to confirm Spain's reopening plans

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has been asked about the comments made by the Spanish tourism minister, stating that the country will reopen to Britons in June.

He was not able to confirm Spain's plans.

He told Times Radio:

"Spain specifically, I'm afraid I just don't have the answer to that because the Joint Biosecurity Centre will need to come up with their assessment and we can't do that until a bit nearer the time.

"So we will need to wait and see."

He has said the UK's 'green' list will be announced early next month.

08:33 AM

In pictures: Italy tastes first freedom as lockdown eases

Bars, restaurants, cinemas and concert halls have reopened in Italy this week as the country's attempts a cautious return to normality.

08:15 AM

UK to use Test and Trace app as vaccine passport, says Shapps

Transport Minister Grant Shapps was on Sky News this morning talking about the UK's planned use for some sort of holiday vaccine passport.

He said:

"I can confirm we are working on an NHS application actually, it will be the actual app [Test and Trace] and it will be the NHS app that is used for people when they book appointments with the NHS and so on, to be able to show that you've had a vaccine or that you've had testing, and I'm working internationally with partners across the world, to make sure that that system can be internationally recognised."

He also said the green-list countries - where people would not have to quarantine having returned from those places - will be announced "towards the beginning of May". We're on tenterhooks.

Read more: Everything you need to know about holiday vaccine passports

07:58 AM

Spotlight: Is Spain over its pandemic?

It is worth remembering at this point that as it stands Spain is not set to make the Government's 'green' list come May 17.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps has hinted that its islands - the Canaries and the Balaerics - could do, on the basis of lower infection numbers, but the mainland will likely turn 'amber' next month.

07:41 AM

Spain: 'We are going to give all these travellers that certainty'

Here is some more of the comments made by Spain's tourism minister Fernando Valdes Verelst.

He was speaking at the annual World Travel and Tourism Council conference in Mexico:

07:34 AM

The stories to keep your eye on today

Good morning, these are the stories set to make waves today.

• Spain 'to open to Britons in June'

• Portugal set to make 'green' list on May 17

• Greece to accept NHS paper cards as proof of vaccination to allow for travel, says tourism minister

• New holiday bookings 'nearly at pre-pandemic levels'

• Covid passports for overseas travel could arrive by late June