Over 75% of Brits too scared to travel abroad as Spain remains off the green list

OVER 75% of Brits are still too scared to travel abroad, according to a new study. 

Despite the ban on travel being lifted in the UK on Monday, research by Travelodge found that 76% of people in the UK were hesitant about going on holiday.

Nearly half of Brits (47%) have not had a holiday since the first lockdown want certainty their money will not be wasted and see ‘staycations’ as a more secure option to going overseas.

According to the research, Brits will be shunning city breaks and beach trips abroad in favour of staying in the UK, bringing an estimated £31billion to the UK economy. 

It comes as thousands of Brits jetted off on green list getaways as the lockdown travel ban finally lifted at the start of the week. 

 A spokeswoman for easyJet reported a ‘surge’ in bookings and British Airways called the rise in demand ‘massive’

EasyJet has five flights due to depart from the UK, including one to Gibraltar which is on the UK government’s green list.

In addition to the Rock, UK travellers will now be able to visit 12 countries on the green list, including Portugal and Israel, without isolating on their return.

But the vast majority of tourist destinations , including Spain, remain on the amber meaning travellers must quarantine when they get back.

BA chief executive Sean Doyle has called for the UK Government to put Spain on the green list next month so that expats could be reunited with their families after a very tough 14 months’.

Spain was placed on the amber travel list, along with Greece and USA, earlier this month but Doyle said that data on vaccination and infection rates made a ‘compelling case’ for allowing Brits to visit. 

“The pace of vaccination in Europe has been picking up dramatically over the last couple of weeks and that should push a number of countries on to the green list as we get into June,” he said.

“For the economy to open up fully, we do need to enable travel to countries that are tracking in the same way as the UK.” 

READ MORE:

• SNUBBED! Spain is omitted from UK ‘Green’ travel list but neighbours Gibraltar and Portugal make it
• EXPLAINER: What we know about Spain’s plans to welcome tourists with ‘vaccine passport’ from June
• Spain extends coronavirus ban on non-essential travel for those outside EU – including Brits – until May 31