The UK Government has announced that from Monday, 11 October, it will remove 47 countries from its red list for Covid-19 travel restrictions, with only seven remaining with the strictest entry requirements, while rules are being relaxed for fully vaccinated travellers arriving from 37 countries.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps said on Twitter the Department for Transport would move 47 countries ¨C including South Africa ¨C from the red list to the ¡°rest of the world¡± category, meaning fully vaccinated travellers do not need to isolate or take a pre-departure Covid-19 test. They will need to take a test on or before the second day after they arrive to the UK.

Countries remaining on the red list are Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, Peru and Venezuela. Travellers entering the UK from these nations will be required to isolate in a government-approved hotel and take Covid tests on days two and eight after arrival.

Meanwhile, the countries from which fully vaccinated status will be accepted has grown by 37, including India, Turkey, Brazil, Hong Kong and Ghana, meaning passengers will be treated the same as those who received their vaccines in the UK.

The news follows a relaxation of travel advice by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office earlier this week.

Shapps said: ¡°Restoring people¡¯s confidence in travel is key to rebuilding our economy and levelling up this country. With less restrictions and more people travelling, we can all continue to move safely forward together along our pathway to recovery.¡±

Health and social care secretary Sajid Javid also confirmed the Government would be moving towards the use of cheaper, faster lateral flow tests in place of the PCR version in England later this month. Anyone with a positive result will be eligible for a free PCR test to follow up. In addition, passengers taking postal tests will be able to send a picture of their lateral flow test as a minimum requirement to verify the result.

The announcement has been welcomed by the travel industry, but many question the decision to maintain a red list at all.

Julia Simpson, president and CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council, said: ¡°There is no justification for a red list to remain in the UK. Other countries have realised that blanket country measures are no longer needed and instead assess on individual risk and whether travellers have been fully jabbed.

¡°While this is great news for countries such as South Africa which have been severely impacted by their red list status, welcoming all fully vaccinated travellers, regardless of country of origin, is key to restarting safe international travel.¡±

Clive Wratten, CEO of the Business Travel Association, commented: ¡°The BTA welcomes the scything changes to the UK¡¯s red list. This is a fantastic boost for business and leisure travel.

¡°The Government must now bring us into step with other countries by dropping day two testing requirements and leading the way on international protocols for entry. It is only when there is international reciprocity that we can look forward to international business travel catching up with domestic travel levels.¡±

In response to the lifting of restrictions, British Airways announced it would ramp up services to destinations that have been removed from the red list, with CEO Sean Doyle saying: ¡°It finally feels like we are seeing light at the end of a very long tunnel. Britain will benefit from this significant reduction in red list countries and now it¡¯s time to turn our attention to eradicating testing for fully vaccinated travellers to ensure we don¡¯t lose our place on the global stage.¡±

A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson commented: ¡°The considerable reduction in the red list and recognition of many more countries¡¯ vaccination status is another positive step towards the UK¡¯s recovery from the pandemic and a boost to international travel¡­ However, to ensure the full economic benefits are realised and that Britain¡¯s global ambitions are met, all testing for fully vaccinated travellers from low-risk destinations must be removed, bringing us into line with Europe and the US.¡±