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Full list of countries that could be added to the green list on Thursday including Malta and Croatia

23 June 2021, 07:45

Here's the countries which might be going onto the green list this week. Picture: PA Images

A small list of countries may be added to 'safe' travel list this week.

The government is set to update Brits on the green and amber travel lists on Thursday.

The last review saw no new destinations added to the green list, but data suggests this could change as the country continues to be vaccinated.

Data from the PC Agency claims at least 14 amber countries should be made green based on the UK’s criteria.

More countries could be added to the 'green list'. Picture: PA Images

The travel expert says the USA, Croatia, Canada, Italy, Germany, Spain’s Balearic Islands, Mexico, and Morocco should be opened up.

But founder of the PC Agency Paul Charles has predicted ministers will allow holidaymakers to travel to five extra countries.

These include Malta, Poland, Finland, Grenada and Barbados.

He said: “They may add a few greens, it’s possible they won’t. I think they will do a handful to show they are sticking to the data, of course there should be more, but they are so cautious.

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“Nothing’s going to budge them from their cautious approach but it should because their own NHS Test and Trace data is very clear there are very few variants of concern coming from amber list countries.

“They may move some red countries to amber, like Turkey which should be in amber now.”

Any changes that are implemented on Thursday will come into effect five days later, which would be on June 29.

According to the Mail, scientists have already told ministers that the Balearic Islands are safe to be moved onto the green list.

This would mean quarantine-free breaks to islands such as Ibiza, Mallorca, Menorca and Formentera.

Boris Johnson is set to update the UK on travel restrictions. Picture: PA Images

So far there are only 11 countries on the UK’s green list which include Gibraltar, Iceland, Israel, New Zealand, Tristan da Cunha, St Helena, Singapore, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

Just because a country is added to the ‘green list’ in the UK, does not mean they will let British tourists in.

This comes after Matt Hancock warned summer holidays abroad could be ‘difficult’ this year.

The Health Secretary said while the Government is ‘on track’ for easing lockdown restrictions on July 19, opening up the travel industry will not be straight-forward.

Mr Hancock also said the government is working on plans to allow fully vaccinated people in the UK to travel abroad without having to quarantine when they return.

“This hasn’t been clinically advised yet – we’re working on it,” he said.