TWO further European destinations popular with British holidaymakers could be added to the UK travel green list by the end of the month.

A review on which countries should be added to the list, which means holidaymakers won't have to quarantine on their return, is due to take place on Thursday.

The review will also reveal whether there are any changes to new amber or red list countries, where holidaymakers do have to self-isolate as a minimum.

According to reports, Malta and the Balearic Islands could be included in an update to the travel list, with changes coming in potentially as early as next week.

The Times said the two Mediterranean islands are among a “handful” of places being considered as rates there are comparatively low.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) says the weekly rate of cases per 100,000 people on Malta is just 1.6, compared with 108.4 in the UK.

Before the pandemic, British tourists made around half a million visits to Malta annually.

The Maltese authorities require travellers from the UK to have evidence of a negative PCR test taken up to 72 hours before their arrival.

Those that do not have this documentation must take a swab test on arrival or quarantine for 14 days.

The ECDC does not publish figures for the Balearic Islands – which include Ibiza, Menorca and Mallorca – but the weekly case rate for the whole of Spain is 48.3.

People returning to the UK from green list destinations are not required to self-isolate, but there are currently no viable major tourist destinations in that tier.

Malta and Spain are currently on the amber list, alongside other popular summer hotspots such as Portugal, Italy and Greece.

Media minister John Whittingdale told Sky News that the green list will be reviewed this week and “I hope that we can put more countries on to it”.

But he urged people to go on holiday in Britain.

“You can have a great holiday in Britain and I think a very large number of people will decide this year that that’s what they will do,” he said.

“Having said that, people like to get away to the sun and there are a number of countries on the green list, and hopefully it will be possible to increase that number.”

There was speculation that countries would be added ahead of a previous review of the green list earlier this month, but the only outcome was the removal of Portugal.

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