Calls for Turkey to be taken off red list as MP warns thousands of tourism jobs are at risk

There will be a jobs bloodbath unless travel rules are eased, MPs have warned.

Industry experts say Turkey should be taken off the red list because Covid infection rates among passengers arriving from there have nearly halved to 1.7 per cent.

Ministers are reviewing the green, amber and red country rankings for foreign travel with an announcement expected tomorrow.

Turkey’s red-list status means all arrivals must quarantine in a hotel for eleven nights at a cost of £2,285. 

The country went red in early May, but holidays for most people have been off limits since October, when a previous quarantine-free ‘travel corridor’ with the UK was axed. 

This was partly due to concerns over the accuracy of Turkey’s Covid data.

But it is now sharing more detailed statistics, experts say, and moving it to amber would allow quarantine-free holidays again for the double-jabbed from next week.

Henry Smith, the Tory chairman of the all-party future of aviation group of MPs, said the ‘overly cautious approach’ to reopening foreign travel meant the UK recovery was lagging behind mainland Europe’s and thousands of travel jobs were at risk.

Labour MP Ben Bradshaw, who sits on the Commons transport committee, said Covid rules were ‘unnecessarily deterring’ families from taking foreign trips and hampering the economy. 

Even double-jabbed travellers must take two tests when returning from low-risk green and amber countries.

Turkey’s seven-day infection and vaccine rates are not dissimilar to those of Spain, which is expected to remain amber.

In a further boost, Greece, France and Portugal look set to remain amber.    

Ministers are reviewing the green, amber and red country rankings for foreign travel with an announcement expected tomorrow [Stock image]