Travellers from Portugal will now have to quarantine upon arrival in the UK, the government said on Thursday.
It comes amid a review of the UK’s traffic light system for travel.
Those coming from red or amber countries have to quarantine on arrival in the UK, while those listed as green are exempt.
Portugal had been the only EU country in the UK’s list of green countries but that will change from Tuesday, June 8.
“The decision to move Portugal (including Madeira and the Azores) to the amber list follows increased concern in the spread of variants of coronavirus, including a mutation of the Delta variant, and the risk that is posed of bringing these back to the UK if people are not required to quarantine,” said the UK’s transport ministry in a statement.
The tourism industry has voiced its opposition, anticipating the government’s move in a statement earlier on Thursday.
“If Portugal has been dropped into the amber list, it will crush the confidence to travel, depress forward bookings and deter holidaymakers,” said Virginia Messina, senior vice president at the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).
“This will cause further stress to travel and tourism businesses already reeling from the green list announced just a few weeks ago.
“WTTC believes the time is now right for the UK to open the doors to safe travel and allow all those who are fully vaccinated or can show proof of a negative COVID-19 test, to travel freely.
“The UK could and should leverage its hard-won competitive advantage from one of the world’s best vaccine rollout programmes, to restore mobility and reopen the doors to safe international travel.”
