Staycation prices soar 40 per cent

That’s all for today. We’re yet to receive a traffic light update from the Government, but for now here’s a recap of Wednesday’s top headlines:  

• Red-listed Maldives sees bookings surge and interest booms in Turkey ahead of traffic light update
• Operators don’t expected traffic light change to be ‘significant’
• Staycation prices soar 40 per cent
• Loophole allows passengers to bypass PCR tests that check for Covid variants
• Holidaymakers struggling as NHS Covid pass still not recognised is some EU countries
• Delta Airlines to impose surcharge on unvaccinated employees
• Comment: Pre-holiday hermitting is a tedious consequence of this new era

Tune back in tomorrow for more of the latest travel news.

As Wednesday comes to a close we still await updates to the Government’s travel traffic light system. In the meantime refresh your knowledge of the rules for each category (green, amber and red), and what they mean for your holiday, below:

The last 16 months have been, for the vast majority of the world, an unmitigated disaster. It has pushed the poorest further into poverty, and financially rattled just about everyone else. The remaining minority is, of course, the wealthy.

From testing and quarantine, to flying and destination picks – Annabel Fenwick Elliot reveals how the rich make the pandemic look easy here.

Workouts, puppet shows and sex toys are not usually what you’d expect to find on a cruise ship. But Richard Branson's Scarlet Lady is a new breed of vessel.   

Following her maiden voyage, Judy Cogan asks can she win younger generations over to cruising? Find out here.

Look outside: is that the makings of a warm day in the sunshine? With children off for the school holidays across England and a much-needed break from the miserable weather in time for the Bank Holiday weekend, what better place to enjoy both the sun and the company of others than the beach?

The question is how to do so without bumping into the crowds. The answer is to seek out England's secret beaches – discover them here. 

Hopes are mounting that Turkey could be promoted from the red list to amber in the next round of changes to the traffic light system – but what about the 59 other countries on the list? 

Here’s a reminder of those destinations and what rules apply to people who visit them.

Delta Airlines is set to impose a $200 monthly fee on employees who aren’t vaccinated against Covid-19.

The airline will become the first major US company to penalise its staff in order to encourage them to get immunised.

The new policy was outlined in a company memo Wednesday from Chief Executive Officer Ed Bastian, who said 75 per cent of the carrier’s workers already are vaccinated. The push is reportedly driven by concerns over increasing cases of a “very aggressive” variant.

The fee applies to employees in the airline’s healthcare plan who haven’t received both jabs by November 1. The company also will require weekly testing for employees who aren’t vaccinated by mid-September.

The Government is due to update its travel traffic light system this week, expected today or tomorrow. In the build-up John Bevan, Divisional Senior Vice President of dnata Travel, owner of Travel Republic, Travelbag, Netflights and Sunmaster, said:

We don’t expect this week’s tinkering with the traffic light status to significantly change things for us. We’ll welcome the movement of Turkey and the Maldives to the amber list if that does happen, both of which are popular with our customers and will give more people the chance to squeeze in last minute break in the sun before the schools return. Our Travel Republic brand has seen booking for Turkey increase by a third over last week, and by a fifth for the Maldives – so we know people are responding to their potential reopening, and we hope for the best.  

However, what’s really needed is a wholesale change to how the concept of traffic lights as a way to safely manage international travel is applied. The system is due for review in October, and our hope is that it is scrapped and replaced with something simpler that both boosts the confidence of – and reduces the confusion for – travellers, and so helps our industry recover. A binary go/no-go destination categorisation with a longer period between changes, and the phasing out of the expensive, and tarnished, PCR tests would be a good start. With the furlough scheme soon to end, travel brands will need all of the help they can get to trade easily. All of the current complexity and uncertainty makes that impossible.

With the Bank Holiday looming and just days left of the school summer holidays research by Avis has revealed the nation’s go-to day trip destinations. With foreign holidays off the cards for many and holiday accommodation on home soil booked up, the average Briton has taken 4-5 day trips during the summer holidays, spending on average £111 per family.

Top 10 British day trips

1. Day at the seaside 
2. Visiting a National Park
3. Visiting family
4. A day in the city
5. Visit to a historical place
6. Food and drink-focussed day out
7. Day at a theme park
8. Going shopping
9. An active day out
10. Visiting a music event

Australia could open its borders to Britons once the majority of its residents are double jabbed, a minister has hinted.

The nation’s minister of Trade, Tourism and Investment, Dan Tehan,  told federal parliament extending travel bubbles beyond New Zealand would be possible when 80 per cent of Australians are fully vaccinated. 

"When we get to phase C, where we see 80 per cent are fully vaccinated, outbound international restrictions will be lifted and travel bubbles will be expanded," said Tehan.

"So not only will we have travel bubbles with New Zealand but the Pacific Islands, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, the US, the UK are all possibilities that we will be able to extend our travel bubbles to.

"It means dollars in tourism businesses and more importantly it means security for the 660,000 people who are employed in our tourism industry." 

However, there’s still some way to go before this target is reached. So far 54.31 per cent of Australians have received their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 30.87 per cent are double jabbed.

“The fact that we now have a national plan which details a way out of this pandemic, which lays out how we can learn to live with this virus, has been extremely welcomed by the tourism industry,” continued Tehan.

The organiser of Reading and Leeds Festival has said such events are arguably "safer places to be" because attendees have been tested for Covid-19.

Melvin Benn, managing director of the Festival Republic Group, told BBC Radio 4 that young people were often in environments where they were not tested and did not know whether people around them were infectious.

 "I certainly think that the virus is continuing and we have to get used to it or we have to increase the number of vaccinations.

"The Government are encouraging more vaccinations. We as an organisation are encouraging more vaccinations. We have a vaccination centre on site at both Reading and Leeds, for example. So that is ultimately what will reduce that spread.

"Of course, the people coming to the event are all lateral flow tested. They are being lateral flow tested as they walk through the gate now and we are asking them to do it again after three days.

"So arguably actually it is a safer place to be when you know that everybody has been tested."

Holiday favourites Spain and France look set to keep their amber status in the next traffic light update, which is good news for anyone hoping for a last blast of sun. 

Covid cases in France have fallen 12.33% in a week to 233.88 per 100,000. This is despite increased testing rates.  Vaccination rates are improving with 68.77% double-jabbed.

Meanwhile, Spain has seen cases fall to 151.47 per 100,000, down 21.44% on last week. An impressive 78.71% have received two doses of a vaccine. 

Many are hoping that Turkey will be upgraded to amber in the next travel update and holiday interest is already starting to increase, according to a popular hotel group. 

The Stay Hotels, which has properties in Istanbul and Alcati, has said that website traffic form the UK has spiked this month. 

Ali Ispahani, managing partner of The Stay Hotels, said:

“We have seen a significant increase in traffic to our website from the UK in August, with the UK now the sixth highest country in terms of our global website traffic.     

“We’re very hopeful for Turkey to be potentially turning amber in the next traffic light update, and look forward to welcoming back more visitors with the expected further increase in bookings from the UK, as Turkey and our hotels have always been very popular with British travellers,” he added. 

Rogue holiday test providers will face enforcement action that could include jail sentences of up to two years for misleading prices and delays in delivering results, a regulator has warned.

In an open letter to the companies, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) warned that harmful practices such as upfront prices that do not include additional charges and failing to deliver results within stated timescales, could breach consumer protection law.

This means providers which mislead customers or treat them unfairly could face enforcement action by the CMA or Trading Standards.

Sanctions range from court orders requiring them to stop ripping off consumers and to pay them compensation, fines and a potential maximum two-year prison term under unfair trading laws.

Charles Hymas has the full story.

Switzerland could require staff and visitors to show Covid-19 certification in most public indoor spaces, as the country's government warned that hospitals could soon be overwhelmed by a surge in cases.

The requirement would cover events, as well as restaurants, bars and recreational sites like cinemas and museums, as well as sports centres and cultural activities.

The government has launched a consultation with regional authorities which will run until August 30.

Tour operator Blue Bay Travel has reported a “significant” surge in bookings for Maldives holidays, ahead of the Government’s traffic light update.

The company said the paradise archipelago is now its top seller and also reported increases in bookings to other destinations on the red list, such as Tobago (with a rise of 616% since the July 15).

The country's current Covid rate is 147.69 per 100,00 (– less than half the UK's case load.

Alistair Rowland, group chief executive at Blue Bay Travel, said:

“The surge in bookings has been significant, and we are witnessing a real appetite for holidaymakers aspiring for a luxurious break to destinations that are yet to be given the ‘green’ light.

“It is encouraging to see that customers are planning ahead and securing their holidays, demonstrating that consumer confidence to travel is improving with the progress on vaccinations and positive movements happening in core destinations.”

I thought having an extra pair of hands may have come in use for the tricky crossing, but my expectations were too high, writes Sadie Whitelocks. 

My partner and I had raised the subject of boathiking ahead our crossing of the Bay of Biscay – a notoriously dodgy stretch of water which runs from the west coast of France and Northern Spain – on our way south to Malaga.

We were slightly concerned about it just being the two of us for the non-stop four-day crossing and so despite numerous warnings, my partner Arthur decided to sign up to a hitchhiking group for sailboats on Facebook

I wasn’t involved too much in the search process, but in a matter of one evening, he’d found a young chap, a fellow Dutchman, conducted a phone interview, assessed his references, checked he was vaccinated and signed him up.

Read on, here.

The NHS Covid Pass can be used as proof of full vaccination for international travel. At least 19 EU countries, including Spain and France, are accepting the NHS app as vaccine certification. However, it is yet to be linked to the EU's comparable system: an IT tie-up that would ensure recognition of the information held on the app across the 27 EU member states. 

Some travellers have reported difficulties in using the NHS app for entry to certain EU nations. Have you experienced these problems? If so, please email emma.featherstone@telegraph.co.uk with the details. 

A ban on non-essential travel from Europe to the US makes it very difficult to cross the pond right – especially as airlines and tour operators continue to postpone transatlantic departures.

Recent news suggests that any end to the ban is unlikely before the big American holiday of Thanksgiving (November 25), despite Britain and the European Union allowing the unrestricted return of fully vaccinated US visitors since August 2.

Get up to speed with all the latest Covid rules and travel guidance for the US here.

The average cost of UK holiday lets this month is 40 per cent higher than August 2019, research has revealed. 

Analysis from Which?, together with BBC Panorama, found that accommodation prices in staycation hotspots have risen significantly in the past two years, with prices in Brighton up a staggering 89 per cent. The average nightly cost of a holiday rental in the coastal resort was £101 in August 2019, which now has risen to £206. 

Elsewhere, St Helier in Jersey saw a hike of 76 per cent, while prices in Lyme Regis and Sidmouth were up 74 per cent and 63 per cent respectively. 

The watchdog also examined how prices compared with holidays abroad and found that an end of August week-long break for two to Brighton cost £1,131, while an equivalent trip to Nice came in at £1,085 (including flights).

Which? travel editor Rory Boland said: "We're not talking about £10, we're not talking about the cost of a meal out. We're talking… hundreds and hundreds of pounds.

"When we looked at it, accommodation prices in 2019 were more expensive in the UK than they were abroad. So this isn't a pandemic problem only, the pandemic has made it worse," he added.

Anybody planning a last-minute UK break over the Bank Holiday weekend should brace themselves for higher-than-usual prices.

Following news that the average cost of UK holiday lets this month is 40 per cent higher than August 2019, a study by money.co.uk has found that the average nightly price of rentals on Airbnb over the Bank Holiday weekend has increased by up to 22 per cent.

Price were compared to corresponding dates in earlier weeks – cities with major events taking place over the long weekend saw the biggest increase. Liverpool, home to Creamfields festival, which begins tomorrow until Sunday, tops the chart with the average price on Airbnb reportedly £145.

Cities with the biggest price increase over the summer bank holiday

1. Liverpool (22 per cent increase)
2. Bristol (11 per cent)
3. Manchester (11 per cent)
4. Glasgow (7 per cent)
5. Leeds (4 per cent)

Gatwick Airportis set to revive plans to bring its second, emergency runway into full-time use.

The airport, owned by France’s Vinci SA, is the second-busiest in the world still using just the one runway. Its growth plans, previously blocked by the Government, could add about 18,400 jobs by 2038, Chief Executive Officer Stewart Wingate told reporters Wednesday.

"While we are currently experiencing low passenger and air traffic volumes due to the global pandemic, we are confident that Gatwick will not only fully recover to previous passenger levels, but has the potential to continue to grow back into one of Europe's premier airports," said Mr Wingate.

The airport faces objections from environmental groups and local residents about the additional noise and pollution. A public consultation will start on 9 September. 

It will also have to consider the uncertainty surrounding the recovery in air travel from the Covid-19 pandemic, which led IAG SA’s British Airways and Virgin Atlantic to move flights to rival Heathrow.

You’d have to be mad to visit Cornwall this summer, writes Hazel Plush. 

Its hotels are full to the brim, its beaches bursting at the seams. From its trampled natural beauty to the local housing crisis, the legacy of our ‘staycation summer’ will continue long after the season fades. A fortnight ago, even the boss of the county’s tourist board warned that "visitors are not getting a good experience... and systems can't cope". And yet, the droves keep coming – and the Covid cases keep rising.

In fact, Cornwall’s case rate is near-double that of the wider UK. Is it any wonder, then, that the same tourist board figurehead, Martin Bell, has suggested visitors take a Covid test before they travel?

Read more and have your say here.

Aer Lingus has announced it will delay the start of its scheduled Manchester to New York and Orlando services due to continuing restrictions on travel into the USA.

The New York JFK service will now commence on December 1 and the Orlando route will commence on December 11. Both New York and Orlando services were due to start on September 30.

Aer Lingus said it was contacting customers directly to offer either a full refund, re-accommodation on an alternative service or the option of a voucher with an additional 10 per cent, for use across the Aer Lingus network over the next five years. 

The airline's new direct Manchester to Barbados service, with three flights a week, will commence as planned on October 20. 

The US has moved the Bahamas, Haiti, Kosovo, Lebanon, Morocco and Saint Maarten to its 'very high Covid risk list.'

Travellers are strongly advised against visiting countries on this list because of the current rates of Covid infections.

Morocco's move to the high risk list could add to fears that it will also be relegated to the UK's red list in the upcoming traffic light announcement.

Germany is reportedly to stop using infection rates as a measure of whether to impose coronavirus restrictions, and will instead use hospitalisation rates, under changes said to be backed by Angela Merkel, reports Justin Huggler.

Mrs Merkel and Jens Spahn, the German health minister, are said to believe infection rates have become less important because vaccines have dramatically reduced the number of people becoming seriously ill.

Earlier this week Mr Spahn said he wanted to overturn an emergency law under restrictions can be imposed if the weekly infection rate rose above 50 per 100,000 people.

“The 50s incidence has had its day,” he told German television. “That’s why I propose this benchmark be swiftly removed from the law.”

“The new benchmark will be hospitalisation rates,” he added.

There's so far no indication on what this will mean for travel restrictions. 

Research from Sykes Holiday Cottages found that a third of Britons (31%) were a planning a holiday north of the border. The holiday lettings company also reported a 54% uptick in family bookings for Scottish rentals in 2021 compared to 2019, and a 59% increase in demand for luxury properties. 

Data from Sykes’ Scotland Staycation Index has also found:

• Bookings to holiday cottages throughout Scotland are up 22% over summer and 46% for autumn and winter
• The Scottish Highlands is the fourth most-popular holiday destination throughout the entire UK
• A third (31%) say Scotland is now on their bucket list for the future

Graham Donoghue, CEO of Sykes Holiday Cottages, said:

“As a proud Scot myself, it’s easy to see why the country is a firm favourite amongst holidaymakers.

“Scotland provides welcome respite for many looking to escape and explore the great outdoors after being cooped up over the past 18 months – and we’re seeing this reflected in a surge of bookings for the rest of this year, and even into 2022.

“The pandemic will have a lasting impact on us all, and this is especially true for how people holiday. The shift towards holidays at home is likely to stick and we expect people to continue opting for ‘Scotcations’ in the years to come.”

Data analyst and travel expert, Tim White, has taken to Twitter to share his traffic light predictions, today suggesting that St Lucia is at "real risk" of turning red. 

They might cause hearts to sink among parents desperate for ways to entertain their children – but grey skies are actually the ideal weather for a British day out, the National Trust has said.

The charity said a day with 21C temperatures and some drizzle attracts the maximum number of visitors to its properties as it warned that climate change may shift the peak tourist season from high summer to the autumn.

It analysed 85 million visits to 170 of its locations over the past five years and found that a warm, slightly breezy day with a small amount of rain was the perfect environment for a day out.

For outdoor locations, the ideal temperature is 24C and numbers drop off significantly at 28C. At indoor locations such as stately homes, the ideal temperature is 20C. Above this level, visitor interest starts to decline.

Read the full story here. 

The traffic light update has come around again. Ahead of the announcement, here's how the ratings are decided. 

The data analysed by the JBC includes: 

• The percentage of a country’s population that have been vaccinated
• The rate of infection
• The prevalence of variants of concern
• The country’s access to reliable scientific data and genomic sequencing

The Government specifies that: “Available and relevant sources of information for each country or territory are used to provide an overall assessment on genomic surveillance capability, SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk and variant of concern (VOC) transmission risk. Decisions are taken by ministers informed by evidence including JBC’s analysis as well as other relevant public health factors.”

With overseas holidays still subject to tests and the tyranny of traffic lights, many of us have spent this summer exploring our own fair isle. However, even after trudging the length and breadth of the country, many might not know that there are a number of remote or unlikely places that can be reached directly from London stations. 

Corrour, Scottish Highlands

Journey time: 11 hours 43 minutes (approx)

Around 10 miles from the nearest road, Corrour in the western Highlands is truly remote and it seems almost unbelievable that it can be reached directly from Euston. Hop on the Caledonian Sleeper (a thrilling experience in itself) and the next morning you’ll arrive at the station, which is set in the wilds of Rannoch Moor, close to Loch Ossian and the misty mountain peak of Leum Uilleim. As well as being one of the UK’s most remote stations, it’s also the highest at 1,339ft above sea level.

Read on, here. 

Turkey and the Maldives could go amber, while Jamaica and Morocco are among the countries at risk of moving to red, according to the latest expert predictions. 

An update to the Government's traffic light categories for travel is due this week, potentially today (August 25) or tomorrow (August 26). Should any changes be revealed today, they are likely to come into effect this coming Sunday (August 29). 

Turkey would be among the most significant moves to the amber list, should analysis from travel consultancy The PC Agency, and other sources, prove correct.

Read the full story here.

According to government figures, more than 1,000 Latitude Festival attendees later tested positive for coronavirus.

It was one of the Government's Covid test events, and about 37,000 visitors were at the venue daily from 21 to 24 July.

All festival-goers needed to be fully vaccinated or test negative but the latest findings showed 432 people were probably infectious at the time.

The Balearic Islands' tourist board has confirmed that its free Covid insurance (for visitors staying at any regulated accommodation) will be extended until the end of the year.

The tourist board says the extension of the policy aims to "restore traveller confidence and stimulate demand" and is especially targeting families during the October half term. 

The type of cover and circumstances covered in the case of a Covid-19 infection include: medical, surgical and hospitalisation expenses with a maximum limit of €15,000, as well as the costs of extending a stay in regulated accommodation for the policyholder and their companions.

For more information, visit safetourism.illesbalears.travel.

UK holidaymakers have reported persistent problems using their NHS Covid passes in certain European countries. 

The Guardian has reported that the difficulties are due to a delay in linking the NHS Covid pass to the EU’s system of vaccination poof. The Government applied for a link-up with the EU-wide certificate at the end of July, but this is yet to be approved.

Some key destinations, such as France and Spain, have individually said they will accept the pass, but travellers to Italy have reported issues when going to bars and restaurants. Meanwhile, those trying to enter Latvia and the Czech Republic have apparently been told they need to have a paper certificate.

Some red listed countries could be in the running for an amber promotion this week, judging by the latest data, meaning an end to the expensive mandatory hotel quarantine that passengers returning from the 60 red-listed countries face. 

While there are no EU countries on the red list, some popular destinations do feature, including Turkey, the Seychelles, the Maldives and South Africa.

Which of them have the best shot at a promotion to the amber category? 

Find out here.

Yesterday, we reported that the Cornish tourist board has asked holidaymakers not to visit without taking a Covid test first, amid a rise of cases in the county.

Chief executive of Visit Cornwall Malcolm Bell told the PA news agency: "We are asking people not to come unless they have booked ahead and request they take a lateral flow test before, during and after (their) stay so that (people) can be safe and help us to manage the current spike."

But how high are cases currently? Covid infections in the county have risen steeply, up 97.89 per cent in the last seven days. The case rate currently stands at 775.49 per 100,000 residents. This is more than double the UK average. 

We are now bound to an effective quarantine in the lead-up to our holidays, writes Greg Dickinson.

My girlfriend and I are off to the Greek island of Kefalonia next Saturday, the first time we’ve travelled overseas since October last year. We are double jabbed and are yet to have knowingly contracted Covid-19. Yet I am more terrified than ever of catching the virus. Not out of personal health concerns (I am 31 with no underlying health conditions, and all my loved ones have been double jabbed), but more so out of the very real risk of us missing out on the holiday.

“Aha, but Greece does not require a test before travel for the double jabbed,” I hear you call. But that doesn’t eliminate the worry of catching Covid-19 before travel. If we contract the thing and become symptomatic, which plenty of double-jabbed people seem to be, we will of course get tested. If positive, we will self isolate at home for 10 days. The holiday will be off. Other hurdles include random tests on arrival to Greece, the test to be taken within 72 hours of return home (the nightmare, very expensive, scenario), and then the PCR test on day two after arrival home (not ideal, but at least the holiday went ahead).

What this all means is a tedious quarantine of sorts, or rather a kind of pre-holiday hermitting. My girlfriend and I had arranged to see friends at a pub on Friday to celebrate our recent engagement. But now, as our getaway looms, we are thinking about cancelling or going to a park instead. We are also due to see family over the Bank Holiday weekend, but the fear is ramping up. It felt like the days of awkward air hugs, rampant hand sanitisation and social distancing stuffiness were over, but I can see us regressing in the coming days as the holiday approaches. 

Read the full story. 

Are you effectively isolating before your trip abroad? Let us know in the comments below.

We are expecting a traffic light update today or tomorrow but in the meantime, a reminder of how things currently stand. The latest predictions include Turkey potentially moving to the amber list while some Caribbean islands are at risk of being relegated to the dreaded red list. 

Disney Cruises has announced that all passengers over 12 on its upcoming Bahamas cruises must be fully vaccinated. 

The passengers on its cruises to the Bahamas between September 3 and November 1 must provide proof of vaccination, or else they will not be allowed to board the ship. 

The news follows the Bahamas' announcement that it would not allow ships to dock in the country unless all passengers 12 and older provide proof of vaccination.

Disney previously announced that all of its employees across every division were required to be vaccinated. 

Sydney's Covid cases rose to a new daily record on Wednesday, putting parts of the health system under "severe pressure", officials said, as they urged an increase in vaccinations to help curb the rate of hospitalisations.

Despite two months of lockdowns, New South Wales state reported 919 new cases amid a growing delta variant outbreak, taking Australia's daily case numbers to a new pandemic high just below 1,000.

Travellers can bypass PCR tests on their return to the UK through a loophole that means vital data on Covid variants could be lost, it has been claimed.

They are able to use some firms' cheaper lateral flow tests because they have registration numbers that can pass through the Government's border checks.

Unlike PCR tests, lateral flows cannot be used to check for the potential import of virus variants, which is the main justification for the Government's testing regime.

The disclosure comes on top of evidence that private travel test firms are failing to hand over up to 150,000 results a week, leaving holidaymakers wasting money on PCR tests that cannot be used to track variants.

Read the full story here. 

A quick recap of the headlines:

• Japan to expand state of emergency to eight more prefectures
• Switzerland hit by 'very worrying' fourth Covid-19 wave
• South Africa 'should be moved to the amber list'
• Cumbria asks visitors to take pre-travel test as a 'courtesy'
• Hawaii wants to limit traveller numbers

Now, on to today's breaking travel news.