47 countries will be cut from the red list on Monday (11 October)47 countries will be cut from the red list on Monday (11 October)
47 countries will be cut from the red list on Monday (11 October)

Winter sun destinations: 8 locations UK tourists can visit as 47 countries cut from travel red list

A total of 47 countries will be cut from the travel red list next week, opening up more holiday options for tourists

International travel will be opened up even further next week as the UK government announces a swathe of cuts to the red list.

A total of 47 countries currently considered high-risk will be removed from England’s red list on Monday (11 October), meaning travellers can avoid lengthy and expensive quarantine restrictions on their return.

The update means just seven countries will remain on the red list, including Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.

The devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland set their own travel rules, but have recently mirrored the announcements made in Westminster.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) will lift its advice against non-essential travel to a swathe of locations on Monday, with the likes of Mexico, South Africa, Thailand and Argentina among the destinations.

The former red list countries will move to the ‘rest of the world’ category meaning travellers who are fully vaccinated against coronavirus - and unvaccinated under 18s - no longer need to take a Covid-19 test before travelling to the UK.

It is also no longer a requirement to take a day eight post-arrival PCR test, costing around £65, or to self-isolate at home. Instead, just a single day two post-arrival test is needed.

Those who have not been fully vaccinated will still need to take a pre-departure test in the three days before returning to the UK.

Travellers will also need to book and pay for a day two and day eight post-arrival test, complete a passenger locator form in the 48 hours before arriving in the UK, and self-isolate at home for 10 days.

If you are planning on escaping for some winter sun, here are eight countries you can travel to from the UK as of Monday.