Quarantine countries: Parents rush to book half-term sunshine holidays in the Canary Islands

Parents were rushing to book last-minute half-term getaways following the lifting of Covid-19 travel restrictions to the Canary Islands

Holiday giant TUI said it had seen “a huge increase” in searches for half-term breaks after the Spanish islands were taken off the quarantine list by the Foreign Office this week.

This weekend passenger numbers are expected to increase by a whopping 7,000 per cent compared to last week following Transport Secretary Grant Shapp’s decision to lift restrictions on Thursday.

TUI reported a 600 per cent leap in search for breaks in Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Tenerife and Gran Canaria overnight on Thursday compared to the previous day. Lanzarote and Tenerife were the most popular choices and Manchester and London Gatwick departures the most frequently searched airports during this period.

Andrew Flintham, managing director of TUI UK, said: “The phenomenal reaction from our customers to the re-introduction of the Canary Islands shows just how much people want a holiday. Our half-term bookings have soared since the announcement at 5pm on Thursday with 25 per cent of those booked to travel to the Canaries departing for the islands tomorrow or Sunday.

“This is a positive step forward and we hope we can now look forward to the introduction of airport testing which will allow us to open up more destinations in the coming weeks.”

‘Covid-ready’ travel

Thomas Cook, which recently relaunched following its collapse in administration last year as a Covid-ready travel agent, said interest among winter sunseekers has leapt 20-fold compared to the previous week.

“It looks like Brits are clamouring to flock south for the winter and demand for holidays in the sun-soaked Canaries has come at just the right time for people looking for a break,” said a spokesman for Thomas Cook.

However, Shapps’ announcement in relation to the Canary Islands does not affect the restrictions that remain in place for the rest of Spain.

France still a no-go as case rise

The Transport Secretary also announced that a “travel corridor” will be opened up to the island of Mykonos which was the only part of Greece to remain on the Westminster Government’s quarantine list after travel to the rest of the country was relaxed over the last few weeks.

In addition, restrictions will be lifted for the Maldives and Denmark. From 4am on Sunday, people arriving to the UK from the destinations taken of the quarantine list will no longer need to self-isolate for two weeks.

Despite restrictions lifting in some popular half-term destinations this week other favourites are still a no-go for those who cannot afford to self-isolate on their return to the UK. France, for example, remains on the quarantine list following a sharp rise in coronavirus infections across the country in recent weeks.

Original Article