Spain, Portugal and Malta have restrictions on non-vaccinated travelers. Published 12 hours agoCopyright Reuters imagePortugal and Malta have taken measures to prevent UK citizens from not being fully vaccinated.If they cannot prove that they have received their second dose of vaccines within two weeks of arrival, the Portuguese government will require them to be in quarantine for 14-days.Malta also allows double-vaccinated persons in starting Wednesday.The UK must prove that they have been fully vaccinated before entering Spain.After the UK government declared that it had detected "variant viruses strains" in the UK, Hong Kong will ban all passenger flights to the UK starting 1 July.These measures were introduced to protect UK travelers, especially those who are not fully vaccinated. They are being implemented because of fears that they could spread the Delta virus, which was first discovered in India.Copyright Getty ImagesPortugal's government has added the UK to its list of countries that travellers should quarantine in order to avoid being sent home. These rules were in effect as of midnight.Only those who are traveling to Portugal's mainland will be subject to the new quarantine.On Monday, there were 19 flights that left UK airports for Portugal's mainland airports (Porto, Faro, and Lisbon).Brazil, South Africa and India were all on Portugal's quarantine lists. However, the UK is exempted from the Covid-19 exemption to avoid isolating."We are forced to cancel our holiday."Image copyright Sarah CluskeySarah Cluskey, a frustrated would-be holidaymaker, is just one of many who has been caught up in the constantly changing rules surrounding travel.She said that Portugal is a favorite holiday destination and that when it was put on the green list, she decided to book.Sarah says her husband is a contractor and has been forced to work in extremely difficult situations throughout the year.Except for the first three weeks of lockdown, he has been traveling to London all the time.After a difficult year, she and her husband, along with their two teenage daughters, had been looking forward for a vacation in the sun."My husband and I have been double-vaccinated so that we can continue to travel. We have an 18-year old daughter who just got her first vaccine and a 13 year-old daughter who still has not been vaccinated."This puts us in a situation where we can leave, but not as families, and there will many other people in that same situation, which is unfair to families."This means we are forced to cancel our holiday immediately."Pedro Sanchez, the Spanish Prime Minister, stated Monday that the measures in Spain to protect UK tourists would be in effect within 72 hours. This included the Balearic Islands.Portugal and Spain are currently on the UK’s amber list. This means that anyone returning to the UK must undergo two tests and be quarantined for 10 days.The UK has placed the Balearic Islands on its green list so that holidaymakers don't have to quarantine upon their return.Malta's government has stated that only fully-vaccinated travelers will be allowed into the country from the UK. However, children younger than 12 years old will be allowed in the country if their parents or guardians have received both vaccines.According to the Maltese government, all children between 5 and 11 years old must show proof of a negative PCR test within the 72 hours preceding arrival.How can you prove that you are vaccinated?According to the UK government, travellers can use an NHS Covid Pass in order to verify their vaccination status.You can choose to have your pass in either digital or paper format. The second dose of vaccine will be available two weeks later.A pass is available to you if:Two doses (full course) of any approved Covid-19 vaccine have been taken.In England, you were vaccinatedAre you 16 years old or olderCopyright Getty ImagesAfter Germany requested that the EU restrict UK travel, Europe has imposed tougher restrictions.The Times reported that Angela Merkel, German Chancellor, wants to designate the UK a "country in concern" due to the widespread coronavirus Delta.Senior officials from both Europe and the United States will discuss the plans with members of the EU's integrated crisis response committee.The current travel guideThe following destinations were added to the green listing on 30 June at 04:00 BST:Europe: The Balearic Islands, which include Ibiza and Menorca as well as Majorca, Majorca, Formentera, and Majorca), Malta, and MadeiraCaribbean: Anguilla and Antigua and Barbuda; Barbados, British Virgin Islands. Cayman Islands. Dominica. Grenada. Montserrat and Turks and Caicos Islands.Other British Overseas Territories include Bermuda, British Antarctic Territory (BALT), British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) and PitcairnSix additional destinations will be added to the government’s red list by the government on 30 June: Eritrea (Dominican Republic), Haiti, Mongolia and Tunisia.Merkel had previously stated to Germany's parliament that she was not happy with the situation in her country.She will meet Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, at Chequers Friday.Emmanuel Macron, the French President, has spoken out about his concerns over the spread of the variant.At the moment, visitors from the UK who have been fully vaccinated can travel to France without being quarantined.It's not just about the UK's greenlist: Other countries must also allow UK tourists to travel abroad.Over the past few days, more countries have increased their restrictions on UK arrivals, but each country has taken its own approach, with varying degrees of severity.Spain has added the requirement for a Covid testing, while Malta requires that 12-year-olds over and under be quarantined if they are not fully vaccinated. While each country will likely continue to decide its own travel policy, many countries could follow Malta's lead and disrupt family holidays.Many countries which rely on UK tourists won't be able to raise restrictions that would stop them travelling. Policies could also change as countries vacate more citizens during the summer.These changes show that international travel remains uncertain.What are the rights to a refund for holidays abroad?Tourists will need to be careful about how much they spend on holidays, as Covid is still prevalent in many countries.There is always the possibility that a country on the green-list may be added to the red or amber list. This could lead to you having to quarantine your vacation, which can be very difficult for many.Operators are not required to reimburse you if you are forced to self-isolate during your return.Travel to certain countries is unlikely to be advised by the government. Airlines and travel agencies will likely cancel any flights or holidays that they have booked.You are entitled to a complete refund. Or, you can opt to get the cash refund.Are you thinking of taking a vacation this summer? Are your plans changing? Have your say at bbc.co.ukIf you would like to speak with a BBC journalist, please include a contact phone number. These are the ways you can get in touch with us:
