Disbelief as none of 10 new travel corridors is open to British tourists

airport - Getty
airport - Getty

British tourists cannot visit any of the 10 new travel corridors that were announced yesterday by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, sparking disbelief and disillusionment among industry leaders.

The weekly review of the green list saw the addition of Aruba, Timor-Leste, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Mongolia, Bhutan, Micronesia, Kiribati, Vanuatu and Tonga.

The latter seven in this list have all closed their borders to British holidaymakers, while Timor-Leste and the Solomon Islands require a 14-day quarantine upon arrival. Aruba cannot be reached without transiting through a country with restrictions in place, such as the United States or the Netherlands.

These largely useless additions feel like a particular blow to the travel industry, when tour operators and Telegraph Travel have been calling for more corridors to countries that are actually welcoming British travellers. Costa Rica, Belize, Brazil, Cape Verde, Botswana, Mexico, South Africa, Ecuador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Egypt, all of which have lower Covid case rates than the UK, remain on the quarantine list but are open to tourists.

Paul Goldstein, who runs Kicheche Camps in Kenya, said, "As ever [Shapps'] decision is not based on any sort of reason, sense or, indeed, science and, after his African blunders last week, when two countries were granted corridors without any direct accessibility, he has reverted to disgracefully ignoring this continent again. He is bankrupting [...] the UK travel industry with his idiotic policies, just as his chum Hancock is bankrupting UK hospitality with his tiers. "

James Aitken, CEO of Cashel Travel and MD of Travelmediate UK and USA, replied with an air of sarcasm to the announcement on Twitter: "More great news! Travel to and from the Solomon Islands is now possible. Assuming we could get there without travelling through any other airports. What a relief to our struggling travel industry!"

Scroll for more updates.


04:43 PM

What happened today?

Here are the main headlines: 

  • Swiss ski resorts stand firm on their decision to open before Christmas 
  • Italy to trial 'Covid-tested' flights from the US
  • Easyjet reports 200pc increase in flight searches
  • Self-catering companies ask Tier 3 residents to cancel staycations

Catch-up with the rest below.


04:41 PM

Tourism accounts for 25 millions jobs in Africa, the continent needs more travel corridors – tour operator

The continent relies on international travel for £130 billion in income and 25 million job, so the campaign for more African travel corridors continues, says Aardvark Safaris. 

Alice Gully, co-owner of Aardvark Safaris said: 

Despite the wonderful news that Rwanda and Namibia have been given air bridges, we have decided to continue campaigning to Open African Travel – why have countries like Chile (51 cases per 100k) and Dubai (91 cases per 100k) have been given air corridors and not Kenya (10.3 cases per 100k) and South Africa (29 per 100k) or Botswana (26 per 100k). 

She points to the value travel and tourism brings to African countries in particular, including:

 Tourism is proven to offer the fastest and most effective ways to educate and train people who have had little or no schooling, and enable them to become significant contributors to local and national economies. In plenty of cases this means that people from humble and disadvantaged backgrounds are now in senior management or director-level positions, and have become real leaders of their communities.

Local leadership is so powerful for encouraging people to change their behaviour on subjects such as wildlife protection and poaching, environmental awareness, replanting trees, avoiding soil erosion, migration, and so many other globally critical factors that are directly driven by rural poverty.

04:30 PM

How to have the best post-lockdown holiday in the Isles of Scilly

Lottie Gross offers a winter guide to the quaint archipelago – one of the few places due to be under the most relaxed tier 1 restrictions.

atlantic grey seals - Getty

04:20 PM

Comment: Cornwall offers compelling evidence that staycations don't spread Covid

Cornwall's 'stay away' brigade is not just living in a different tier (it's one of only three areas in England to be designated as Tier 1), but an entirely different universe, writes Simon Parker

st ives, cornwall - Getty
Under the latest puzzling guidance, travel from Tier 2 counties to Tier 1 Cornwall is still permitted – so long as you “continue to follow tier 2 rules” while you’re there, and journeys should be minimised. Devonshire migrants eyeing up a festive tear-up across the border should, therefore, remember to dollop their jam and cream accordingly, and must avoid “socialising” with the locals. The Perranporth Gestapo could well be watching you.

Unsurprisingly, the search term “Cornwall Christmas” spiked on Thursday afternoon, to its highest peak since December 2019. “Cornwall Tier 1” also saw an increase of 3,400 per cent. Many of us – it would seem – are still desperate to travel as far and wide as physically possible this Christmas – Land’s End, say.

But within minutes of the Government’s announcement, social media, regional and national news outlets were awash with the “#stayaway” sentiment that threatened to turn the summer sour. “Close the bridge!” Joked one of thousands of dissenting voices on Twitter, while Cornish pub landlord Phil Lafferty even told BBC Radio Cornwall that he feared a festive “invasion”.

Granted, we know viruses spread quicker during winter, and that the country is in the midst of a second wave. But the Cornish scolding of the rest of Britain is old hat. Do we really have to go through all this again?

Read the full story.


04:02 PM

Disney reveals more job cuts at theme parks

More theme park job losses have been confirmed by Disney as Covid continues to hit visitor numbers at US theme parks.

Some 32,000 staff will lose their jobs by the middle of 2021, up by 4,000 since a decision in September to reduce the workforce.

Disneyland Paris was forced to close again late last month when France imposed a new lockdown to fight a second wave of the coronavirus cases.

The company’s theme parks in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo remain open.


03:43 PM

Quiet but optimistic – a postcard from Mallorca, where overtourism is no more

Palma, where restrictions are light, is well-placed to shrug off the downturn, writes James Litston.

palma at night - Getty
Mid-morning is a busy time at Ca’n Joan de S’aigo. Hidden on a backstreet in the labyrinthine Old Town, this coffee house has been a Palma institution since it opened in 1700. Though it must have been renovated somewhere in its 320 year history, its dark-wood furniture, tiled floors and antiques are unwaveringly traditional.

Patrons are sipping hot chocolate and eating home-made ice cream and ensaïmadas: the coiled, sugar-dusted pastries so emblematic of Mallorca. The only thing missing is the usual queue of people waiting outside; otherwise it’s business as normal. And in this anything-but-normal year, that in itself is exceptional.

Unlike in lockdown London, cafés such as this (along with museums, shops, bars, restaurants and gyms) are open all over Palma. The Old Town’s traffic-free streets still have plenty of footfall, but they're unquestionably quieter because there are very few tourists. According to the Fomento del Turismo (the island’s tourism board) some 70 per cent of Mallorca's visitors come from Britain and Germany, whose governments both imposed quarantine restrictions on travellers returning from Spain back in August. Those restrictions remain (despite coronavirus infections now being far lower here) and the subsequent lockdowns in Britain and Germany have only compounded the problem.

Read the full story.


03:34 PM

French ski resorts will welcome guests, despite ski lift ban

Thought the dream of Christmas holiday in the French mountains was over? Think again. While ski lifts are banned from operating until the new year, resorts will be allowed to welcome guests and there’s plenty for them to do, safely.

man skiing - Getty

“Following the French Prime Minister's announcement that ski resorts will remain closed, one can still head to a resort to enjoy fresh air and the great outdoors. The Pays de Gex and its Monts Jura Mountain Resorts in France will be open but not as you know it. We want the UK to know that there is a brilliantly simple way to discover a winter wonderland and escape the UK this Christmas and have a great outdoors holiday in the snow,” said Yan Baczkowski, director of the Pays de Gex Tourist Office and its Monts Jura ski resorts – a relatively unheard of destination on the Swiss border.

The area is the first in France to commit to a new Covid-free label – a collaborative and independent label for professionals in the catering, hotel and tourism industries committed to fighting against the spread of the virus and show they are operating safely.

“Currently the ski lifts in the three resorts of Lelex-Crozer, Mijoux la Faucille and Menthieres will be closed until 18 January 2021. However the hotels, apartments, chalets and all other facilities will be open including takeaway options from restaurants and bars,” explained Baczkowski.

Whilst skiing on the piste won’t be possible, the area boasts over 160km of cross country skiing tracks, plus snowshoeing, which will be permitted as they don’t require the use of lifts. What’s more, the mountains will be open to ski touring for those willing to hike up the slopes in search of off-piste terrain.


03:20 PM

Centre Parcs will refuse entry to Tier 3 holidaymakers

Centre Parcs is the latest UK holiday provider to announce that it will require people from Tier 3 areas of England to cancel or amend their bookings. 

A spokesperson for the company told Telegraph Travel:

Guests living in Tier 3 (Very High Alert) areas will not be able to visit any of our villages and will be entitled to either a full refund or the option to move their break to a later date with no amendment fee. If guests from Tier 3 areas arrive at any of our villages, they will be refused entry.

03:12 PM

Cyprus announces nationwide curfew

Cyprus is to lift local lockdowns in two key coastal cities while also imposing a nationwide eight-hour night-time curfew to tackle rising Covid cases.

The curfew will apply from 9pm to 5am each day, from November 30 until December 13, Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou said. Bars, restaurants, pubs, cafes and other hospitality venues must also shut nationwide at 7pm.

This brings to an end a two-tier curfew system, which had seen the capital Nicosia and other towns under a six-hour nightly curfew.

Limassol and Paphos, both areas where caseloads have been high, will see lockdowns lifted at the end of November, after a near-total prohibition on movements in and out of the coastal resort cities and their wider districts.

Cyprus was struck from the UK's travel corridor list last month.


03:02 PM

More Black Friday travel deals

We've detailed some of the best savings on hotel stays below. Now, how about some overseas trips for 2021 and beyond? Here are some of the discounts on offer from tour operators.

Contiki

The youth travel experts are offering up to 30 per cent off selected trips, for travel between 12 March 2021 – 31 October 2022 (some departure and trip exclusions apply). The offer applies to new bookings made between 24 November 24, 2020 – December 3 2020 and is subject to availability

A sample trip is Rome to Barcelona by train, a nine-day journey stopping off at cities and coastal spots with all train travel, accommodation, a number of experiences and meals included. Th Sale price is £1,222 per person sharing, down 3 per cent from £1,745.

Insight Vacations

Valid from November 23 – December 3 there is a 15 per cent saving on all ‘Country Roads’ and ‘Easy Pace’ trips to Europe, travelling between April and November.

For example during the Black Friday sale, Insight Vacations’ nine-day Country Roads of Andalucía starts at £1,866 per person (down from £2,195). 

Uniworld

River cruise line Uniworld is offering Black Friday deals on some specific departures for 2021 ranging from 25 per cent up to 40 per cent off the brochure price. This can be combined with a solo supplement waiver on a number of departures.

Uniworld’s Castles Along the Rhine itinerary departing on May 30, sailing Amsterdam to Basel, starts from £1,999 per person (a 40 per cent discount on the brochure price) and solo supplements are also waived on this departure.


02:45 PM

Dinners must leave pubs after meal is finished under new rules

Tier 2 rules means diners and drinkers must leave pubs and restaurants once their food is finished, the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson has announced. 

Punters will not be allowed to hang around for an extra pint after the meal has finished, the spokesperson said.

The Downing Street spokesperson said: “We’ve been clear that, in Tier 2 I believe, that you need to have a substantial meal if ordering any alcohol and it remains the case that the guidance says that once the meal is finished, it is at that point.”

The news follows yesterdays announcement that business lunches will be allowed, and there will be no restrictions on table size for groups from one household or support bubble. 


02:40 PM

Newcastle Airport to offer Covid tests for departing passengers

Newcastle Airport is working with local companies to provide quick Covid-19 tests to departing passengers (at least two days ahead of their flight). 

Travel corridor destinations such as the Canary Islands and Barbados now require visitors to show evidence of a negative test on arrival.

Richard Knight, the airport's Chief Operating Officerm said: "We want to make it as easy as possible for our passengers to travel to their destination [...]

"Unlike postal tests, the tests provided by [participating companies] NPH Group and MDNA Life Sciences are administered by trained clinicians which decreases the likelihood of an inconclusive result."

The tests offered at the airport will cost £99 and are now available to book, with a start date of December 1. People who are tested will receive results within two days. The testing area will be based in the Premium Meet and Greet car park building and free on-site parking will be available.


02:25 PM

Self-catering companies tell Tier 3 residents their staycations must be cancelled

UK holiday accommodation providers, such as Canopy & Stars and the National Trust, expect guests from Tier 3 areas to change their winter staycations, reports Emma Featherstone.

sunset on cornish coast - Getty

National Trust Holidays, for example, told Telegraph Travel. "[We] will be contacting all guests with bookings in December to discuss their options."

"Customers living in Tier 3 locations or planning to stay in Tier 3 locations are being contacted as a priority. In line with government guidance, holidays taken by people in Tier 3 will have to be postponed or cancelled. In addition, holidays due to take place in tier three locations will have to be postponed or cancelled."

Read the full story.


02:08 PM

'We're incurring bank loans that will take years to repay': hoteliers in Tier 3 face a tough winter

Hotels based in areas facing the most stringent coronavirus restrictions after lockdown are worried about the long-term impact on their business.

Jane Bishop, owner of the Walpole Bay Hotel in Margate (Kent, Tier 3) said:

With no trade left for this winter and no viable functions allowed under the Covid-19 restrictions, our lovely [staff were] made redundant, sadly only a week before we learned they could have been furloughed until March. ​

Our bars, tea rooms and restaurant, ballroom and snooker room are closed, and we have gone from being debt-free for the first time in our lives at the beginning of 2020 to now incurring bank loans that will take years to repay, probably by our grandchildren the way things are going.

01:56 PM

Welsh Government to confirm hospitality restrictions over the weekend

The Welsh Government has not concluded its discussions about new restrictions with the hospitality sector in Wales, First Minister Mark Drakeford has confirmed.

"We will do that over the weekend and then I will be able to tell you authoritatively the arrangements that will be available in hospitality in Wales," the First Minister said.


01:53 PM

Gatwick sees travel boost from new testing rules

The introduction of shorter quarantine times from mid-December is already boosting travel, said the boss of Gatwick Airport in an interview with Reuters. 

Gatwick, Britain’s second busiest airport, is opening a new Covid-19 testing facility on Monday, offering passengers discounted tests.

Chief executive Stewart Wingate hopes by making it easier and cheaper to get a test, more people will travel.

From mid-December, travellers arriving in England from non travel corridor destinations will see their quarantine time slashed from 14 days to five, with a negative test.

“We are seeing already an uptick in flights, so we should expect to see about 100 flights per day by the time we get to the middle of December, and across the Christmas period,” Mr Wingate told Reuters.


01:41 PM

Could Brexit signal the end of the road for second-home owners in Europe?

New rules will limit the amount of time Britons can spend in their foreign boltholes, explains Heidi Fuller-Love. 

Typical old French house in the charming village of Druyes les Belles Fontaines - Getty

She spoke to Britons who will be affected by the changes post-Brexit:

Margaret Hibbit from Kidderminster, who bought and renovated a small stone house on the island of Crete in 1997, is among those worried about the new visa rules.

“Since my husband’s death I no longer live there full time, but I visit at least three times a year. Not being able to return for three months after spending 90 days in Crete causes great concern over maintaining my property, paying my bills and keeping it in good repair.” 

Read the full story.​


01:25 PM

Wales announces new restrictions

First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford has announced a series of new restrictions to combat the rise in coronavirus cases, but has insisted that they do not represent a complete return to those seen in last month's firebreak.

"Cinemas, bowling alleys and other indoor entertainment venues will now close," he says.

New restrictions in the hospitality industry will also come into effect on Friday of next week, he says, adding that the government will be finalising new details of a financial support package over the weekend, with the plan to announce more information in full on Monday.

Non essential retail, hairdressers, gyms and leisure centres and so on will continue to operate as normal for now.

The restrictions will cover the whole of Wales.

More details on the coronavirus live blog.


01:17 PM

The Covid Christmas checklist: what you need to start thinking about today

It's official: the race is on to make travel arrangements and book deliveries for the five days of Christmas.

Your Covid Christmas checklist

Here's how to get ahead.


01:06 PM

New hotel openings react to tier news

Eva Mount, General Manager of The Guardsman, says,

The Guardsman was open for just 12 days prior to the second lockdown, having been delayed due to the first one.  We have been constantly reacting and adapting to new guidelines and restrictions.  Whilst tier two allows us to open, much of the country will be in tier three and unable to travel. As such we expect to see reduced numbers over the Christmas and New Year period. That said this gives us the opportunity to refine every aspect of our offering prior to the expected upturn in early 2021. We are grateful for the opportunity to trade again.

Christian Graff, General Manager of Middle Eight, says,

Middle Eight opened in late October so we almost immediately went into lockdown. Our location in Covent Garden – now seen as the festive heart of the capital – and proximity to Oxford Street should help us attract some guests over the festive period. However as we are a large hotel with 168 rooms and 12 suites, and with much of the country prevented from travelling, we don’t expect to be running anywhere near capacity, a situation which will be unlikely to change until Easter at the earliest.

12:59 PM

'We should rejoice that Europe's ski season has been cancelled'

Anthony Peregrine is no stranger of a strong opinion. 

Lord knows, I’m sick to death of hearing about skiing. I know this is selfish and illogical – people should be able to do what they jolly well like on holiday – but this has never stopped me before. Anyway, people can do what they jolly want on holiday only as long as it doesn’t impinge on me. And here, I’m impinged.

I don’t ski myself. This is less an aversion to sliding around on sticks, more because I have the head for heights of a lupin, find winters quite cold enough where it’s flat, and consider snow suitable only for red-faced men with shovels, infants under 10 and bears. Significantly, I am not the only one who doesn't ski. According to some estimates, around 97.5% of Britons don’t. And though France, where I live, is one of the top three ski nations by frequentation (behind the US, alongside Austria), the vast majority of French people don’t either. Fewer than nine per cent of them ski regularly – that is to say, once every two years. 

Read more.


12:49 PM

UK travel company boycotts Qantas over its decision to make vaccinations mandatory

Tradewinds Travel is the first travel company in the UK to boycott Qantas over its decision to make vaccinations mandatory.


12:46 PM

Canopy & Stars emails customers asking them to rearrange if they live in a Tier 3 area

Glamping and luxury camping provider Canopy & Stars has asked anyone that would be travelling from a Tier 3 area to one of their accommodations to rearrange. The email sent to their customers reads:

From 2 December new travel restrictions come into place across the UK. If you live in a tier 3 area (or tier 3, 4 or 5 in Scotland) you will no longer be able to go on your Canopy & Stars holiday. You will need to inform us if you do live in a restricted area by 1 December and our team will be able to move your booking so that you will be able to go out on your much needed nature break soon. 

To check if you currently live in a tier 3 area please enter your postcode into the Government postcode checker here. 

If you live in a tier 1 or 2 area, you will still be able to go on holiday, we have checked the place you are travelling to is not in a tier 3 area. 

If you live in a tier 3 area please get in contact by 1 December via email so we can move your booking but do bear with as we help thousands of guests, so this will take some time.

12:33 PM

The greatest hotels in Tier 1 and 2 areas in England, from Cornwall to Cumbria

From December 3, hotels across the country in Tier 1 and 2 areas have been permitted to reopen, subject to Covid-secure and local guidelines. It's welcome news for much of the hospitality industry, as the festive season gets underway. 

the newt hotel

Find our favourites here.


12:22 PM

Residents of Austrian village to get a new name after ridicule of their signposts

Residents of an Austrian village will ring in the new year under a new name - Fugging - after ridicule of their signposts, especially on social media, became too much to bear.

Tourists take pictures of the road sign of the village, which attracts many thanks to its name - AFP

They finally grew weary of Fucking, its current name which some experts say dates back to the 11th century.

Read more.


12:19 PM

Virgin Atlantic launches Caribbean Covid testing trial

Virgin Atlantic will launch a pre-departure Covid testing trial for flights to the Caribbean in a bid to persuade ministers to drop travel restrictions completely.

Passengers on flights to Barbados, Antigua and Grenada will be asked to take an antigen test on departure and PCR test on arrival.

A “test and release” scheme for UK arrivals will start on Dec 15. A two-week quarantine will be cut to five days on presentation of a negative Covid test.

The aviation industry favours a more sophisticated testing regime that will negate the need for any restrictions and allow airlines to make a meaningful return to the skies before a vaccine is widely available.

Bosses say departure testing is twice as effective as quarantining.

Oliver Gill has more.


12:16 PM

'The Government’s misguided approach to the pandemic is damaging the travel sector beyond repair'

Simon Dolan, founder of Jota Aviation, gives Telegraph Travel his two cents.

Across the UK, there are few communities which don’t benefit from domestic and overseas travel. 

London is one of the most vibrant and celebrated cities in the world, attracting upward of 20 million visitors a year through its rich history and cultural diversity. British airports consequently account for 2.7 per cent of all global arrivals and The World Economic Forum ranks the UK’s tourism infrastructure as one of the most competitive in the world.

It’s little wonder then that tourism was one of Britain’s fastest growing industries last year, projected to be worth a staggering £275 billion by 2025. The industry is a fundamentally vital cog in the UK economy and should be leveraged with full force as we traverse one of the most difficult recessions in recent history.

However, as the sector cries out for reassurance, certainty and support, it is facing ever-changing regulations and setbacks. From illegal and unwarranted lockdowns, to blank travel bans and unworkable quarantine policies, it is no exaggeration to say the Government’s egregious mishandling of coronavirus has decimated the travel industry.   

Read more.


12:05 PM

Will hotels check from where their guests are travelling?

Following the announcement of the revised tier system in England, many hotels in Tier 1 and 2 across the country are preparing to reopen from next week. 

While the majority of hotels have had to go through the process of shuttering up and reopening at least once before, the fact that significantly more areas are now in Tier 3 presents a greater challenge with regard to operating safely. Much of the north of the country, for instance is in Tier 3 - but the Lake District, a popular tourist destination, is in Tier 2.

Number One Bruton

Those in Tier 3 destinations are being advised not to travel outside their areas (and hotels in those areas are ordered to close unless for essential purposes). People in Tiers 1 and 2 are allowed to travel, and hotels in both tiers are open, though the advice is to minimise journeys.

The question is though, will hotels police those that visit, and how will they?

Answer here.


11:54 AM

'In the midst of a pandemic, we took our first holiday together in twelve years'

It has been an unprecedented year, in more ways than one, for Greg Dickinson.

Olivia and I met at school aged 11, all train-track braces and oversized glasses. I asked her to be my girlfriend at 15, when the Kooks were on the radio and stripy cardigans were cool. She said yes.

Our universe was the leafy Hertfordshire town of Harpenden, but we found ways to escape – a Eurostar day-trip to Paris, a night in Amsterdam, a trip to New Zealand's north island to join Olivia's brother, Josh, during his gap year. The summit of our adventures was at precisely 5,895m, standing at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro.

I remember her eyelashes were frozen solid as we approached the roof of Africa, aged just sixteen.Then university happened, we broke up, and our lives went off in different directions, only occasionally intersecting during our twenties with fleeting catch ups at parties. Then, in the purgatorial haze of a pandemic, our worlds collided once again. 

Read more here.


11:39 AM

Why the growing trend of fly-and-flop holidays has replaced the city break

This year has seen the return of the fly-and-flop holiday. According to Skyscanner, 33 per cent of trips booked from June to August were for longer stays (up to 21 days), followed by mid-length stays (four to six days) at 13 per cent. Only 10 per cent of customers booked trips of three days or fewer.

Booking windows of under one week were more popular this summer than last, with a 12 per cent increase. The most popular European destinations? Malaga, Alicante, Faro and Palma.

Jade Conroy has more.


11:18 AM

Saga moves a step closer to sailing with award of new coronavirus safety accreditation

Saga has become the first cruise operator to be awarded a new Covid-19 health assurance accreditation by Lloyd’s Register, the maritime safety experts. The move is a crucial step ahead of the planned return of cruise operations in spring next year in a coronavirus-secure environment.

Lloyd’s Register has awarded Saga the Shield+ accreditation, the highest category of health assurance they have. The new framework has been created to reduce risk and provide greater confidence in the safety procedures of operators against the introduction of infectious diseases onboard cruise ships, including COVID-19, Norovirus and common flu, as the industry works with government to restart an industry that employs 88,000 people and is worth £10bn a year to the British economy.

Saga’s ships have been surveyed and inspected in all key areas and the accreditation has been awarded for both the Spirit of Discovery and Saga’s brand new ship, the Spirit of Adventure, which is due to set sail for the first time in May 2021.


11:15 AM

Easyjet reports 200pc increase in flight searches

Following the Government announcement that UK-wide restriction would be eased for a five-day period over Christmas, Easyjet has reported searches for flights and holidays have increased by 200%.

Up to three households are allowed to mix between December 23 and December 27.

The most popular routes were domestic bookings from London and Bristol to Belfast, and from London to Edinburgh,


11:12 AM

What the new tier rules mean for spas in Britain

The "Winter Plan" circles back to a tougher regional approach that will last until March 2021. In this latest plan, shops, personal care, gyms and businesses in the leisure sector can reopen. 

This looks like good news for spa, health and beauty businesses, in Tiers 1 and 2 at least, which come under the leisure sector and non-essential businesses. 

Unfortunately for hotels in tier-three areas, accommodation and all hospitality venues apart from takeaways will remain closed.

For spas that will be bookable, the experience should look a lot like it did before Lockdown 2.0, with groups capped at six, dedicated time slots and mandatory face masks for therapists.

More information here.


11:09 AM

'There's little to stop Tier 3 refugees who want to leave the country for some winter sun'

Consumer expert Nick Trend sounds off:

One of the strangest of inconsistencies surrounding the latest Covid-19 restrictions was confirmed this week. After December 2, people living in Tier 3 in England will be advised not to travel to other parts of the UK for a holiday, for fear of the risk of spreading the virus. But they will be allowed to travel abroad. Where is the logic in that? Is this even an ethical distinction to make? 

Logic was further cast to the winds when the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps attempted to justify the new rules by saying that “we’re not as a government in the business of telling people whether they can’t [sic] travel”. Yup, that’s right – this is the responsible minister in the very same government which continues to tell us when and where we can travel. And just in case we thought he might have “mis-spoken” he went on to affirm “I’m not trying to tell people what they should and shouldn’t do with regard to travel”. I had to replay the interview several times to make sure I wasn’t hearing things. 

Read more.


10:55 AM

A postcard from San Sebastián, where the future of its famed restaurants is bleak

“Incertidumbre."

Uncertainty is the word on every restaurateur’s lips in San Sebastián, a city known for its pintxo bars and a per-capita Michelin star count that is among the highest in the world.

“As a restaurant owner, the most difficult part for me has been the uncertainty,” said Ander González, chef-owner of Restaurante Astelena. “Every step of the way, we have been glued to the press, trying to figure out if we can open, can’t open, and what our timetables should be.”

Many of this city’s famous eateries are still family-owned businesses, meaning the pain is felt across several hard-working generations rather than in the pockets of wealthy investors. From the pintxo bars to the restaurants with three Michelin stars, grandparents, parents, and children have taken the brunt of the blow.

Marti Buckley has more.


10:47 AM

The best Black Friday deals at hotels for 2020

Black Friday has become big business in the UK over the last decade since it spread from the US, where it's held the day after Thanksgiving; the fourth Thursday of November, to herald the start of the Christmas shopping season.

maldives hotel

These days it's not just shops that are in on the act – hotels too are offering amazing deals on stays both for December (which will be possible in tier-one and -two areas of England) and 2021, in the UK and overseas. We've even done the hard work for you by rounding up and sorting out the best deals.

Find them all here.


10:30 AM

Victoria eliminates coronavirus after tough restrictions

Friday marks four weeks without a new case of Covid-19 in the Australian state of Victoria; with 9,828 Victorians tested in the past 24 hours.

Health authorities say 28 days with no new cases means the virus has been eliminated from the community, given that the time represents two 14-day incubation periods.

Friday marks four weeks without a new case of Covid-19; with 9,828 Victorians tested in the past 24 hours. Health authorities say 28 days with no new cases means the virus has been eliminated from the community, given that the time represents two 14-day incubation periods.

10:28 AM

Italy to trial 'Covid-tested' flights from the US

Italian authorities will soon approve an experiment with "Covid-tested" flights from three US airports with the aim of eliminating the required 14-day quarantine for passengers arriving in Italy, Rome's main airport said on Thursday.

ADR, which operates Leonardo da Vinci Airport, said that similar corridors were expected to be approved for flights between the airport and the German cities of Munich and Frankfurt.

An ADR statement said that pending approval from Italy's transport, health and foreign ministries, from December passengers arriving from New York, Newark or Atlanta airports would not have to quarantine if they test negative for coronavirus within 48 hours of departure and also upon arrival in Rome.


10:25 AM

Which tier am I in? Use our postcode checker for the latest Covid rules

Manchester, Birmingham, Hull, Newcastle and swathes of the North are set to face the toughest coronavirus restrictions under new tiers just announced, with only three areas - Cornwall, the Isle of Wight and Isles of Scilly - placed into the lowest Tier 1 category.  

tier maps

But which tier will your your area be in from December 2?

Head over to our postcode tool to find out.


10:19 AM

Tiers to stay until a vaccine arrive

Robert Jenrick has said the tiered restrictions in England are designed to see the country through until a vaccine becomes available.

The point of the tiered approach is, can we get tiers that are sufficiently robust to steer the country through the last few months before we manage to get the vaccine programme rolled out. 

More on the politics live blog here.


09:57 AM

‘Holidays not affected by tiers’ – but Britain’s tourism businesses tell a different story

Hazel Plush writes:

Some of Britain’s biggest package holiday providers have informed Telegraph Travel that all of their holidays will still go ahead – even though the Government decrees that people from high risk areas should avoid all non-essential travel, either at home or abroad. 

“It’s up to the individual to decide [if they want to travel],” said a spokesperson from one household-name company, who wished to remain anonymous. “Customers are not stopped from going abroad on holiday should they wish.”

And yet...

Many leaders of Britain's own tourism industry – the hotels and accommodation providers within our own shores – have told us that they will take an entirely different tack. Unanimously, voices from all over the country said they would be checking which Tier their guests were travelling from – and asking those from Tier 3 to stay away. 

“I know a lot of B&Bs and self-catering cottage owners will check [guests’ addresses],” said Susan Briggs from the Tourism Network. “Even though it might mean declining business and income they desperately need, they want to keep their communities safe.”

Read more.


09:28 AM

Swiss ski resorts are standing firm on their decision to open before Christmas

Swiss ski resorts are standing firm on their decision to open before Christmas, as a row breaks out in Europe about whether festive skiing should be permitted, reports Lucy Aspden,

“The Federal Council and the canton’s authorities confirmed that they won’t change their decision concerning the authorisation for the lift companies to open or remain open,” said Simon Wiget, director of Verbier Tourism.

“Christmas and New Year bring more or less a third of the winter income, which is 80 per cent of the global touristic income of resorts like Verbier. This not only for the lift companies but as well for all the economy chain related to the ski industry, which is very important in mountain areas,” he stressed.

Verbier is one of roughly 10 Swiss resorts already in operation, with the rest due to open in the coming weeks. They are all confident that it is safe to welcome skiers and snowboarders back to the mountains and enforcement of new rules is strict. “The resorts that are already open showed that it’s possible to develop and apply efficient protection concepts… Skiing is an outdoor activity, the skiers don’t stay long inside, at least for a shorter time than workers stay in the public transportation, wearing masks is an obligation in most of the places, including all the lifts, and the skiers wear gloves,” said Wiget.

More here.


09:23 AM

Public respond to travel corridor announcement with sarcasm

Here's just a couple examples of the types of retweets Grant Shapps has been getting since his announcement.

 


09:18 AM

'Does Grant Shapps have the faintest idea what a 'travel corridor' actually means?'

Simon Parker wrote this last week, but it remains just as pertinent. 

Every Thursday evening, the travel industry drops what it’s doing, and rushes to the vast Twitter bingo hall. And with our lucky trinkets, ink dabbers and books in hand, we wait – patiently – for the arrival of the evening’s Master of Ceremonies: the Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps. 

Probably somewhere in the bowels of Whitehall – wearing a gold sequined blazer and a naff bowtie – he clears the static from his microphone and spins the cage, as a Government SPAD with a Blackberry stands poised.

“You’ve watched us falter,” he mumbles, pulling out a gaudy ball. “Fancy Gibraltar?” 

The audience collectively groans. 

“It’s not been a failure,” he says. “I give you Australia!” What rhymes with Mongolia?

Read the full story. 


08:27 AM

What happened yesterday?

  • Only three parts of England – Cornwall, the Isle of Wight and the Isles of Scilly – have been placed in Tier 1, allowing relatively restriction-free staycations
  • Vast swathes of the country are in Tier 3, meaning hotels and other accommodation providers must close, while residents are advised not to travel
  • Ten new travel corridors have been announced, but none are feasible holiday options
  • Two nations, Latvia and Estonia, have lost their corridors, while the blanket ban on visiting Denmark has been lifted

More updates as we have them.