Summer holidays ‘at risk’ as Spain and Italy may go on ‘amber watch list’ next week

There has been talk Spain and Italy could go on a new “amber watch list”.

Talk of an amber watch list - where holidaymakers could see amber countries go straight to the red list - has sparked furore in Whitehall, according to reports.

It comes as Italy tightened restrictions for British tourists while Greece has considered new rules.

Summer holidays could be ruined for many Britons if the amber watch list goes ahead, ministers have warned.

UK travellers could have to pick up the bills for quarantine hotel at around £1,750 a person.

Spain and Italy were mentioned as possibilities because of the fears about the Beta variant which first emerged in South Africa.

But some ministers have doubts Spain could feasibly go on the red list because of the UK’s limited space in quarantine hotel, according to The Daily Mail.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and Chancellor Rishi Sunak were apparently among the senior ministers who have been reluctant to put further heartache for holidaymakers this summer.

Mr Shapps urged everyone to “ignore speculation” ahead of the travel review next week.

One Whitehall source told the newspaper: “You would have to be crackers to book a holiday to a place knowing that it could go on to the red list at any moment.

“If you have already booked to go there you are going to spend your whole holiday worrying whether you are going to have to make a dash to the airport to get home.

“The decision next week will basically be in place for August. It is peak holiday season – are we really going to cause that much disruption to this many people?”

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