Lanzarote hotel manager says she’s ‘ready’ for British tourists
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Businesses on the island of Lanzarote have welcomed news it may soon be added to the list of countries open to UK travellers under the government’s latest travel advice. It comes as the Foreign Office classed the Canary Islands as “low risk” suggesting the destination could be included on the “green list” when the UK sets out its plans later this week.
Hotel manager Leda Giordano told BBC Radio 5 live: “Positive thinking all the time and we are ready.
“Here we have all the protocols in place, we never closed really.
“So we are ready and as I speak with my colleagues they are ready as well.
“Now we are wishing that all our holidaymakers that normally come here can travel and they can travel safely.”
Once the ban on international travel is lifted from May 17, a three-tiered traffic light system will be introduced in the UK with each country designated on a scale running from green to red depending on the level of risk.
It is understood countries given green status will mean travellers will require one test within 72 hours of departure from England and at least one more test on their arrival back in England.
It comes as public travel advice pages for Spanish and Greek islands was updated on the Foreign Office website.
Guidance to avoid travel to Spanish or Greek islands has been removed sparking hope for the Canary Islands.
Travel: Expert says UK needs a ‘wide green list’
Travel expert Paul Charles told BBC News on Thursday: “In our analysis, we’re predicting up to 24 countries, especially when you include the 14 British overseas territories – the likes of Gibraltar, Cayman Islands, Monserrat, Falkland Islands.
“Small islands, small places, but the wider the list the better.”
He continued: “I think you’re also going to see Malta, Israel, possibly Barbados, Grenada opening up.
“And indeed this morning the Foreign Office, perhaps accidentally, has updated its own website pages to also add Kos, Rhodes, Canary Islands, Zakinthos, Corfu, Crete among others to its list of places now acceptable to travel to.
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“That is very encouraging because it suggests the list could be much wider.”
Mr Charles added: “It is certainly good to see the Prime Minister sticking to his roadmap that he announced in February for travel to open up from May 17. That is positive. It is encouraging that he is looking to protect jobs across the travel and tourism sector by doing so.”
However, the travel expert expressed concern Britain could fall behind the EU in terms of being the first to reopen foreign travel spots.
He said: “But we need to see quite a wide ‘green list’ opening up and I fear at the moment that talk from Government for 10 or so countries simply isn’t enough when we see the European Union (EU) setting the pace much faster in terms of opening up countries earlier.”
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