Scots banned from visiting Spain this summer

menorca - Getty
menorca - Getty

Spain is off the list of approved travel corridors for Scottish citizens, Nicola Sturgeon has announced.

Scotland's First Minister today lifted quarantine requirements for 57 countries, only two less than the UK's list of 59; Spain and Serbia being the only exceptions. This means that anyone entering Scotland from these nations will, for the time being, be required to self-isolate for 14 days upon their return.

Speaking this afternoon, Sturgeon said that Scotland's lower infection numbers made its stance "a bit different to that of the UK as a whole", and stated: "We cannot lift restrictions on people arriving from Spain because of the significantly higher prevalence. We also have concerns about Serbia where a recent outbreak has led neighbouring states to close their borders with that country."

These rules are "here for a reason", she said, warning people not to "get around" them by flying in and out of non-approved countries through English airports.

Meanwhile, the UK is in renewed discussions with Portugal, having left the popular holiday destination off its list of so-called 'air bridge' arrangements, to the consternation of many; not least the tourist industry, which relies heavily on British visitors.

Follow all the latest updates below. 


04:11 PM

What happened today?

  • Ryanair and Virgin rated among worst for Covid-19 refunds
  • Portugal and UK resume discussions on travel corridor
  • Chancellor announces temporary VAT cut for hospitality and tourism businesses
  • UK regional flight routes risk being cut due to the pandemic
  • Eurostar said it will scrap its ski train for winter

Catch up with the rest of today's developments below.


04:01 PM

How will the 'eat out to help out' restaurant scheme work?

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced an initiative to support restaurants, pubs and cafes, but what does this mean for customers?

Madeleine Howell explains all, from how much you can save to where to find participating restaurants.


03:55 PM

Eurostar scraps its much-loved ski train to the Alps

Eurostar has announced it will not be running its popular direct ski train service to the Alps this winter, reports Lucy Aspden.

train

"As we restart our services we are focusing our timetable on our routes between capital cities, which have the highest demand from customers at the moment and shorter journey times," read a statement from the rail operator.

The high-speed service connects London St Pancras and Ashford International with the French Alps, offering a direct route to three stations: Moûtiers, Aime La Plagne and Bourg St Maurice. The service provides easy access to many top French ski resorts, including Courchevel and Méribel in the Trois Vallées, Tignes, Les Arcs and La Plagne.

Read the full story.


03:47 PM

How will the 'eat out to help out' restaurant scheme work?

The Chancellor has announced an initiative to help restaurants, pubs and cafes, but what does the scheme mean for customers? 

Madeleine Howell explains how it will work, how much you can save and how to find participating restaurants. 

Read the full story.


03:36 PM

Canal holiday firm records 253 surge in staycation bookings

Le Boat, which offers canal boat holidays, has reported a 253 per cent year-on-year increase in bookings for UK holidays.

The company said there had a been a rush in demand for stays on its boats in July, August and September since the Government gave nod for travel to self-catering accommodation in England on July 4.


03:27 PM

Watch: The mini-budget in full

The Chancellor pledged to get pubs and restaurants "bustling again" and unveiled a range of measures to kick-start the economy, including a six-month cut to VAT and half price meals.


03:19 PM

Concerns that traditional pubs have been 'left behind'

The Campaign for Real Ale has responded to the Chancellor's mini-budget, highlighting the fact that the temporary VAT cut only applies to food and non-alcoholic drinks. 


03:13 PM

Bed and breakfast association 'delighted' by VAT cut

Chairman of the Bed & Breakfast Association, David Weston, said the organisation is "delighted" by the VAT cut.

He added: "It will help stimulate demand and, once our borders open to incoming tourism and will also help UK tourism overall as Britain's VAT rate has been amongst the highest of our international competitors."


02:39 PM

New economic measures will help Britain to 'compete for international visitors'

Sir Patrick McLoughlin, chairman of the British Tourist Authority, said:

The Chancellor’s statement today shows the continuing Government commitment to the tourism sector and the millions of people employed within it,  The package of measures including a major cut to VAT will help the industry as it starts to rebuild and to compete for international visitors while encouraging domestic visitors to get out and enjoy the summer. The key for success will be ensuring that we continue to attract domestic and international visitors through the autumn and extend the season.


02:33 PM

'No crowds and free upgrades: Why now could be the perfect time for a city break'

Empty streets make for a more enjoyable experience, writes Oliver Smith

london - Getty

One senses that purveyors of city breaks are going to struggle in the coming months. What previously made our bustling metropolises so special, like buzzing restaurants and lively bars, have become a reason for many to steer clear. Indeed, I’ve spent much of the last four months longing for wilderness.   

So when I was tasked with spending my “Super Saturday” weekend exploring the honeypots of London, I felt a little like I’d drawn the short straw. To my surprise, this would be a city break like no other: I had one of Europe’s most crowded capitals virtually to myself. 

Read the full story.


02:16 PM

Travel boss queries lack of support for 'the forgotten sector'

Tour operator Vivid Travel has queried why Rishi Sunak’s mini-budget made no reference to the travel industry, which has called for help from the Government.

Kane Pirie, the firm's managing director and owner, said:

COVID-19 has created an economic hit of tsunamic proportions. Travel is the forgotten, unloved sector it seems the Government does want. We were one of the first industries to be shut-down, we are refunding prior sales on a scale unequalled and new sales are entangled in a myriad of shifting risks and regulation. The industry has been knocked out.

The travel industry is losing businesses and jobs already. The industry is fighting hard for survival but support is needed. There is no end to the disruption in sight and realistically it could well be 2021 before confidence returns to the market.


02:05 PM

London's riverboat service to be rebranded 'Uber Boat'

A riverboat service used by tourists and commuters will be rebranded Uber Boat by Thames Clippers later this summer as part of a deal with the ride-hailing app.

Thames Clippers operates a service that runs through the city and includes stops along the river at Canary Wharf, the London Eye and Battersea Power Station.  Customers will be able to buy tickets on the Uber app alongside existing payment methods. 


01:59 PM

Keep a goat apart... a novel approach to social distancing

The French resort of Les Arcs reopened on July 4 with a novel way of informing visitors about new social distancing rules.

goats sign

Signage on sanitiser stations around the mountain and village, which offers activities such as mountain biking, golf and walking in the summer months, used illustrations of goats as a key to educate guests.

Keeping a goat’s distance apart is a guide to encourage people to observe the one-metre social distancing rule enforced by the French government.


01:51 PM

Chancellor's recovery plan 'recognises the value of hospitality and tourism'

Joss Croft, the chief executive of UKinbound, a trade association representing inbound tourism in the UK, says the chancellor's economic recovery plan  "clearly recognises the value of hospitality and tourism". 

Cutting VAT from 20 per cent to 5 percent  and the Eat Out to Help Out scheme will deliver immediate positive impacts for businesses and consumers.  The Job Retention Bonus Scheme will also help tourism and hospitality businesses, but only those that survive into next year.

These measures will not help the many businesses involved in inbound tourism who drive regional economies and jobs, and who are on the brink; longer-term support will still be required for these businesses, which have been hit even harder than domestic and outbound.


01:39 PM

UK travellers to lose airport options as airlines cut routes over coronavirus

UK holidaymakers outside of London risk having their flight options cut after new research showed some of Britain’s regional airports could lose routes due to the pandemic, reports Hugh Morris.

Aviation experts OAG said Manchester Airport could face a battle to hold onto some of its long-haul services, while Stansted, in Essex, might also see airlines scrap destinations in an effort to stay viable. 

Becca Rowland, analyst at OAG, said the world’s biggest hubs could see route networks reduced but it is the “secondary” airports that face the greatest loss. 

Read the full story.


01:27 PM

VAT cut to boost hospitality industry marks historic low


01:23 PM

Palaces will reopen to tourism this summer

Windsor Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse and parts of Buckingham Palace are to reopen to the tourists this summer, as the Royal Collection implements new Covid-safe protection, reports Hannah Furness.

st geroges chapel windsor castle - Getty

The royal palaces will open to the public complete with hand sanitiser, one-way routes and perspex screens.

The state apartments of Buckingham Palace itself, which usually welcomes tourists in the summer, will remain shut, with staff unable to build the annual infrastructure needed to cope with visitor numbers in time.

Read the full story.


01:09 PM

Italy seeks restrictions for non-EU arrivals

Italy has called for new precautionary measures for passengers travelling to European Union countries from outside the bloc to curb the spread of Covid-19, Reuters reports.

The country has suspended all flights from Bangladesh for a week following a number of passengers testing positive for the virus on a flight to Rome on Monday.

“I would consider it appropriate to outline together new rigorous precautionary measures for arrivals from non-Schengen and non-EU areas,” Italy's health minister Roberto Speranza said in a letter addressed to the EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides and Germany’s health minister Jens Spahn.


01:03 PM

Bristol's take on social distancing markers

In Queen Square, Bristol, hearts have been sprayed onto the grass in an effort to encourage social distancing. 

social distancing markers - Getty

12:51 PM

Hospitality industry reacts to VAT announcement

Jane Pendlebury, the CEO of HOSPA, the Hospitality Professionals Association, said:

As an industry, we’ve long been lobbying for reduced VAT to bring us in line with other European countries that already offer favourable rates to help drive tourism. Given the current crisis the clamour for this within the UK has grown – and it’s fantastic to see the Government respond so positively.

The reduction will provide businesses operating on wafer thin margins with some essential breathing space, helping them to recover and rebuild, as well as to retain more jobs – with the £1,000 job retention scheme offering yet further assistance here. The additional announcement of the ‘Eat out to help out’ vouchers is yet another much needed and very welcome boost, and it’s a move that, will not only help businesses, but should also help to encourage consumers to return.


12:46 PM

Face masks 'not a magic bullet', says Welsh First Minister

Wearing a face mask is not a "magic bullet" in preventing the spread of coronavirus, the First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford has said.

He said the Welsh Government would keep the guidance on the wearing of face masks in public under review.

Face masks are not currently mandatory in Wales, but their use is recommended in places like public transport. They are mandatory on public transport in England and Scotland, and also in shops in Scotland. 


12:28 PM

St Petersburg's Hermitage poised to reopen

The Winter Palace in St Petersburg, home to the Hermitage, is to reopen in a week's time, on July 15.

The vast museum has been closed for four months due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

A member of staff in the Hermitage - Getty

12:18 PM

'I want to see B&Bs bustling again'

More from Rishi Sunak on his plans for the UK hospitality industry. He told the Commons he wants to see pubs, restaurants, cafes and B&Bs "bustling again", telling MPs:

"At the moment, VAT on hospitality and tourism is charged at 20 per cent. So I've decided, for the next six months, to cut VAT on food, accommodation and attractions."

Mr Sunak said VAT will be reduced from 20% to 5% from July 15 until January 12 to help, noting: "This is a £4 billion catalyst for the hospitality and tourism sectors, benefiting over 150,000 businesses, and consumers everywhere - all helping to protect 2.4 million jobs."


12:04 PM

Chancellor to slash VAT for hospitality and tourism for next six months

Beginning from next Wednesday until January 12, VAT will be reduced from 20 per cent to five per cent on purchases including eat-in food, hotels, cinemas, theme-parks and zoos, Rishi Sunak has announced.

The Chancellor has also announced everyone will get "an eat out to help out discount" throughout August. 

Meals will be half price for everyone in the country, at any participating business, Monday to Wednesday. A maximum discount of £10 per head, he says. 


11:57 AM

Killing Eve Barcelona apartment available on Airbnb

Villanelle, the glamorous assassin from the BBCs Killing Eve, has lived in enviable quarters throughout the series. 

The latest is an Art Nouveau flat in Barcelona, which is now available to rent on Airbnb

Listed on the booking platform for $285 a night, it was originally designed in 1906 and is described as "usual" and "very spacious".

Spain was included on the Government list of travel corridors, meaning Britons can travel to the country without facing quarantine on their return (if they arrive back here on July 10).


11:47 AM

A postcard from Melbourne: Dystopia greets us again with closed borders and rationed toilet paper

Australia's second-largest city goes back into lockdown today following a spike in cases. Christian Bonetto reports from the city. 

loo roll - Getty

After successfully flattening the curve, a sudden spike in locally acquired infections has had the city on edge for the last three weeks. In response, 10 Melbourne postcodes – declared coronavirus hotspots – were placed back in lockdown on July 1. This was soon followed by a swift, hard lockdown of nine council-housing towers in the city’s inner northwest.

On July 7, Victorian state premier Daniel Andrews dropped a further bombshell: the state had recorded 191 new infections, the highest daily increase in the state since the pandemic began. By late afternoon on Tuesday, the news we had all expected was merely confirmed: Greater Melbourne would enter a second lockdown from 11:59pm the following night. Most of regional Victoria would be spared the same fate.

Read the full story.


11:34 AM

Virgin and Ryanair rated among worst firms for handling Covid-19 refunds

British holidaymakers have rated Virgin and Ryanair among the worst companies for handling refunds for cancelled trips during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Just 4 per cent of Ryanair, Love Holidays and Virgin Holidays customers said they had a full refund, in the Money Saving Expert survey of over 77,000 people.  The survey also found:

  • Teletext Holidays and Virgin Atlantic had a refund payout rate of 1 per cent among people whose trips had been cancelled
  • Some 87 per cent of Jet2 and Jet2holidays customers with cancelled bookings said they received refunds
  • Trailfinders and Airbnb customers were also likely to get a refund; 85 per cent and 83 per cent respectively had been refunded
  • Airbnb had the shortest time in handling refunds; 87 per cent received money within two weeks
  • Others to issue quick refunds included:  Jet2holidays (57  per cent within two weeks), British Airways (56 per cent) and Jet2 (55 per cent)

11:23 AM

Hotel buffets in the new normal

Telegraph Travel writer Lottie Gross has been reporting from Mallorca. She's been discovering how the hotel experience has changed due to the pandemic. 


11:14 AM

In Pictures: The National Gallery reopens

The National Gallery has reopened in London today, the first major art museum in the capital to do so since the country went into lockdown. 

Read the Telegraph's first look review of visiting the gallery in the new normal.

outside gallery - Getty
man in gallery - Getty
women in gallery - Getty

11:04 AM

The view from Rome: Brides-to-be hold flash mob to protest postponed weddings

A group of brides-to-be have held a flash mob in Rome to protest delayed weddings. 

Weddings have been allowed in Italy since May 18, but large gatherings are still banned. 


10:56 AM

Six nudists fined £3,000 each at Lake Como

Six Italians found sunbathing naked on the shores of Italy's Lake Como have been fined € 3,333 (£3,000) each for acting “against public decency.”

The nudists were spotted on Sunday by the carabinieri police patrolling the shores of the popular lake by boat, to ensure that beach-goers complied with social-distancing rules.  

The men, mostly from the nearby towns of Como and Varese, were fined a total of €20,000.    

The Italian government has intensified checks on beaches and popular holiday sites to ensure that citizens respect health measures aimed at preventing new coronavirus clusters.

Read the full story.


10:15 AM

Cancun has welcomed 70,000 visitors since June reopening

Almost 70,000 tourists have visited Cancun since the resort city reopened to visitors almost a month ago, according to tourism officials. 

Approximately 13,000 visitors are currently staying at 120 hotels that reopened at 30 per cent capacity.

Cancun officially reopened for tourism on June 8. 

Mexico does not have any travel restrictions when entering the country. Visitors do not need to self-quarantine or be tested for Covid-19. 

However, the country is not featured on the UK Government's list of travel corridors or the list of destinations exempt from the FCO warning against all but essential travel.


09:52 AM

Mapped: The 24 countries you can actually visit right now

The Government has given the green light to overseas holidays. As of July 7, the FCO no longer advises against trips to 66 destinations, while 59 countries can now be visited by Britons without the need to self-isolate on their return.

Confusingly, however, some nations appear on one list, but not the other. Many countries included on both lists still have their own restrictions in place. New Zealand, for example, could remain closed to foreign tourists until next year, while Cyprus is blocking all UK arrivals.

Nevertheless, 24 places (23 in Europe and one beyond) appear on both lists, and are welcoming UK travellers.

See the full list. 


09:44 AM

Traveller stuck in Manila airport since March

An Estonian traveller is asking to be rescued from the departures area of Manila airport in the Philippines, where he has been living for more than 100 days.

Roman Trofimov arrived in the country on March 20 on an AirAsia flight from Bangkok and, due to the coronavirus pandemic, has been stuck there since.

He had been travelling in south-east Asia and arrived in Manila, but his passport was taken before going through immigration.

AirAsia was unable to return him to Thailand.

Mr Trofimov was denied entry into the Philippines because entry visas were no longer being issued for arrivals. He asked his embassy for help but they were unable to organise a repatriation flight.

Mr Trofimov has been sleeping in an airport departures hotel room and living on food and snacks donated by staff.


09:34 AM

Air travellers concerned about Covid-19 risks

There are significant levels of consumer concern about the Covid-19 infection risks of flying, research suggests. 

A survey for the International Air Transport Association (Iata) in major airline markets, including the UK, Germany, France and the US, found three out of five respondents had avoided air travel and one-third would avoid flying in future to avoid catching the virus.

All respondents had travelled by plane in the past 12 months.

Some 65 per cent of consumers were concerned about "sitting next to someone who might be infected",  two in five were concerned about "using toilets", with 37 per cent fearful of "breathing the air on the plane".

Passengers' major concerns at airports were "being in a crowded bus/train to the aircraft", "queuing at check-in/security/border control or boarding" and "using airport toilets". 

The survey of 4,700 consumers in 11 countries was carried out in June. 


09:23 AM

Watch: Wildflowers bloom in central Italy, offering a lockdown treat

The poppies, daisies and cornflowers emerge annually alongside the lentil crop on the Umbrian plain of Castelluccio. It is known as the ‘Fioritura’ or natural flower show.

Sometimes it is more colourful than others, depending on the amount of rain that has fallen. This year, as though giving us a post lockdown treat, it is particularly vivid.

Here, drone footage captures the flowers in their full glory. 


09:15 AM

Portugal counts the cost of UK's air bridge snub

Hoteliers in the Algarve, heavily reliant UK visitors, are in crisis, while a few determined Britons are simply ignoring FCO advice, reports Mary Lussiana. 

The UK’s snubbing of Portugal, which has a lower infection rate than other countries given the green light by the Foreign Office, is considered something of a cruel joke over here. Certainly no-one I spoke to yesterday about the crippling effects of being put on the British red list was laughing.

Jorge Beldade, Director of Operations at Minor Hotels in the Algarve, responsible for Europe’s first Anantara, told me: “Because of the disproportionately bad publicity this has brought us, due to a few, controlled, clusters far away in Lisbon, we have had an enormous amount of cancellations.” The hotel, whose occupancy is normally around 45 per cent British, is currently seeing three per cent of bookings from that market, and has been forced to postpone its re-opening from July 1 to July 20.

At family-friendly Martinhal, with hotels in Cascais and the western Algarve, it is a similar story, although both properties are now open. “Cancellations have increased,” owner Chitra Stern explained, “and new enquiries have decreased. We are looking at an occupancy fluctuating between 10 per cent and 20 per cent right now with a huge drop in our strong British market. But the ones who have decided to come feel comfortable in their private pool villas and the outdoor activities, from surfing to hiking, that Portugal excels in.”

Read the full story.


09:06 AM

Melbourne enters six-week lockdown

Australia's second-largest city returning to lockdown with a stay-at-home order in effect for the next six weeks following a spike in coronavirus cases. 

Five million residents were ordered back into lockdown beginning midnight Wednesday into Thursday as soaring community transmission of the coronavirus brings more than 100 new cases daily.

The border between Victoria and New South Wales, the country's two most populous states, was closed on Tuesday for the first time in 100 years as authorities attempt to contain an outbreak of the virus in Melbourne.

Read our latest advice on when you can travel to Australia.


08:56 AM

A view from New York: city continues reopening plan

New York City moved into the third phase of its easing of lockdown measures on Tuesday. 

Nail and tanning salons, tattoo parlours, spas and massages, dog runs and many other outdoor activities are allowed to resume under the third stage of the four-phase plan to reduce restrictions. 

people at food stall - Getty
woman on bike - Getty
men in times square - Getty

08:44 AM

The National Gallery reopens to visitors today

The National Gallery reopens today, making it London's first major art museum to reopen its doors after closing in late March. 

Visitors will be asked to wear masks and social distancing and advance booking are mandatory. 

The gallery expects around a quarter of the usual number of visitors - or 3,000 to 4,000 people per day.

Opening hours have been reduced from eight to five,  although on Friday they will be extended to 10 hours.

"We had two primary objectives," said the gallery's chief operating officer Paul Gray. "One was to make sure that we made visitors feel safe and that we reassured them but equally we wanted to make it an enjoyable experience."

Read The Telegraph's first look at the gallery's reopening.


08:32 AM

Disney World set to reopen on Saturday

Walt Disney will go ahead with plans to reopen Florida's Disney theme parks to a limited number of visitors on Saturday, the company said yesterday.

New requirements, including  temperature checks, face coverings and extra sanitation, would allow guests to enjoy Disney World “responsibly," said Disney’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Pamela Hymel

“While COVID-19, and the risk of contracting it, is present in public places, there are many important ways that we can all help promote each other’s safety,” she said.

Florida’s coronavirus cases have soared in the last month, with the state’s daily tally topping 10,000 three times in the last week. 


08:25 AM

Britons headed for Costa Brava holiday may be expected to wear masks on the beach

Holidaymakers heading for the Costa Brava will be expected to wear masks on the beach as Catalonia prepares to tighten its rules after it was hit with a surge in coronavirus.

Catalan Health Minister Alba Verges is proposing the move with the Spanish region in renewed lockdown, with regional governors deciding on Wednesday whether to back it.

Face masks are currently obligatory in Spain only on public transport and in closed public spaces, and outdoors where social distancing cannot be guaranteed.

But the proposal would require people in Catalonia, one of two areas back in mini-lockdown, to wear them virtually everywhere outside their home - including on the beach.

Read the full story.


08:21 AM

Over 100 'red listed' countries have lower Covid rates that Government-approved destinations

More than 100 “red listed” countries have better Coronavirus rates than some of the Government’s approved holiday or “safe” destinations, as ministers refused to publish the full criteria behind their decisions, reports Charles Hymas.

An analysis by the Daily Telegraph shows six countries exempted from quarantine have worse rates than the UK.

Turks and Caicos and Luxembourg, two holiday destinations sanctioned by the Government, have higher Covid-19 rates per 100,000 of the population than Portugal, which was red listed by the Government.

Even supposedly “safe” countries like France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands have at least 50 “red listed” countries which actually have better Covid-19 rates than them.

Read the full story


08:19 AM

What happened yesterday?

The key stories from Tuesday: 

  • Ryanair to fly 500 routes from UK this summer
  • Dubai reopened to international visitors
  • One in 10 people failing to buy travel insurance
  • Melbourne ordered back into lockdown
  • British Airways reopens lounges with new precautions
  • Audley Travel launches European destinations