HOL YES!

Hope for Brits’ hols as Greece & Portugal plan ‘air bridges’ to avoid quarantine rule & UK campsites target July reopen

Kara Godfrey

Published: 12:20, 19 May 2020
Updated: 17:12, 19 May 2020

AFTER weeks of bad news for British holidaymakers, hope is in sight for a summer holiday after all.

UK camp sites could open as soon as July, while Greece and Portugal have offered "air bridges" for British tourists to escape the 14-day quarantine.

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Portugal and Greece could waive the 14-day quarantine for Brits Credit: Getty Images - Getty

Greek tourism minister Harry Theoharis called for the UK to stop the two-week quarantine for Greek tourists, and would reciprocate the favour for Brits entering Greece in turn.

The new proposals, which Mr Theoharis told the BBC, could be part of the "air bridges" being suggested between the UK and popular holiday destinations in Europe.

Joao Fernandes, head of the Algarve Tourism Board, also welcomed the idea for British tourists, adding: "It looks good to us having a balanced decision that secures the health of the visitor and the return to normality should attend different levels of risk."

Transport Minister Grant Shapps said in the House of Commons yesterday: "The final details of the quarantine scheme will be released soon, coming in early next month."

"It is the case that we would indeed consider further improvements for example, things like air bridges, enabling people from other areas and countries who have themselves achieved lower levels of growth virus infection, to come into the country.

"So those are the active discussions, but will go beyond what will initially be a blanket situation."

Beaches in Greece reopened over the weekendCredit: Getty Images - Getty

Camping holidays across the country could be back on the menu for the summer as well, despite fears that they may not be able to open this year.

Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey told Sky: "Having come from Suffolk down to London, I know there are a lot of campsites that are very keen for people to come.

"Some of this is being carefully considered, recognising that we have a reduced outdoor transmission risk, that things like camping may well become suitable."

She added that it as a decision for "later this year, potentially in July" as infection rates need to stay down first.

English caravan sites are hoping to reopen this summer, with preliminary dates in July - but they are lobbying to open as early as June, in line with plans put forward for sites in neighbouring Wales.

Camping and caravaning could be allowed by JulyCredit: Domnick Walsh

Tourism bosses are convinced that we can have great British seaside holiday this summer, as long as they are deemed safe.

Visit Britain's Acting CEO Patricia Yates said the crisis could actually boost British tourism and urged the nation to take a holiday later in the year.

She explained: "To get British tourism up and running this summer - and this summer is hugely important - we need that domestic audience.

"It has to be the year of domestic tourism. There’s a real job to be done there in convincing people it’s socially responsible to travel and enjoy a holiday and that it’s safe to do so.”

She also suggested an air bridge with the US could also be on the cards.

She said: "We have an international network, our American regional director is telling us sort of America is ready to go, American business is ready to go.

"So, possibly, you know, an air bridge between the UK and America might be one that would be valuable to us."

However, with the US coronavirus rate at 1.5 million, and more than 90,000 deaths, this may be unlikely any time soon.

Last week, the government was forced to deny that travellers from France would be exempted from the planned coronavirus quarantine measures.