The best long-haul holiday options for 2021

As of May 17, a number of long-haul destinations will become 'green' – but don’t get your holiday hopes up just yet. All, including Australia, Singapore, and the Falkland Islands, have closed their borders to non-essential visitors, and show no indication of reversing such measures. The UK may have relaxed its own restrictions on these places, but they are yet to lower the drawbridge to us.

The traffic light system is set to be reviewed every three weeks, so a lot will change in the coming months. Destinations which are now classified as ‘amber’ could – if their vaccination rates continue to rise, and their case rates fall – find themselves back in the UK Government’s good books.

But that’s useless to holidaymakers if those places don’t return the favour. So, which long-haul favourites might scoop a place on the subsequent green lists, while also committing to welcoming British travellers too? Here, we dig into the data, to highlight those most likely to be back on the cards – hopefully in time for summer.

United States

The argument to green-list the States grows stronger by the day: to date, 45.7 per cent of Americans have received their first vaccine dose. For context, France, Italy and Spain have reached 26-39 per cent, while 52.3 per cent of Britons have received theirs.

Many in the travel industry expected the US to make the first iteration of the green list on the strength of this – but the FCDO currently advises against non-essential travel to the US, while UK-bound Americans will face a mandatory 10-day quarantine from 17 May. Non-US citizens are currently barred from entering the US.

But in addition to the States’ pacy vaccine rate, the economic case for reopening US-UK travel is also strong, as the CEOs of major transatlantic airlines have stressed. Bosses of British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and JetBlue co-signed a letter on Tuesday, urging President Joe Biden and Boris Johnson to announce a travel corridor in June. It states: "The return of Transatlantic flying would not only have a significantly positive impact on our respective economies but will also reunite those who have been separated from their loved ones for over a year."

It’s clear that there’s appetite for a travel corridor on both sides of the Atlantic. In 2020, US airlines reportedly lost $35billion in revenue – and as that figure continues to rise, the reasons for maintaining restrictions look ever weaker.

Antigua

The Caribbean island's vaccination programme is continuing apace, with 31.7 per cent of the population having received their first jab. In Antigua, tourism staff are among those prioritised for the vaccine, thanks to the sector’s economic importance – it accounts for more than half of the national GDP.

Even during the first wave, the island has never closed its borders to international travellers, and yet its case rate has remained low. At present, all the island asks Britons for is a pre-arrival negative test result (taken within seven days of arrival), a health check and form upon landing, and adherence to social distancing regulations throughout your holiday. However, you will need to check that your accommodation is on the ‘approved’ list, and some visitors may be instructed to take a PCR test on arrival (costing $100/￡72).

The signs for summer look positive. British Airways has announced nine new flights between the UK and Antigua (starting July 9), while the country’s tourism board is stepping up with various campaigns and initiatives – including the launch of month-long ‘workcation’ visas to encourage longer stays. Colin C. James, CEO of the Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority, predicts a “strong tourism rebound when travel restrictions ease within the next few months,” and has praised the “enthusiasm” of tourism workers for receiving the inoculation. Hopefully, that enthusiasm – and the nation’s initiative – will pay off.

Barbados

Also making strides in the vaccine race, Barbados has administered first doses of Oxford AstraZeneca to 26.3 per cent of its population. “This is a commendable start for a country that really did not have a lot in place for a vaccination programme,” said Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, who has been vocal about his ambition to restart travel to and from the island.

Barbados has kept strict protocols for international travel throughout the pandemic, and cases are low – indeed, there have been fewer than 4,000 to date. Promisingly, the island relaxed its entry restrictions on May 8, to accept vaccine certificates and reduce hotel quarantine to as little as five days for non-inoculated travellers (though the FCDO still advises: “You may be required to wear an electronic tracking bracelet until you receive the results of your second test.”)

With the combination of low cases and high vaccine rates, Barbados is a strong bet for the green list. And thanks to its reliance on tourism (almost 40 per cent of GDP), the country looks set to welcome Britons with minimal fuss.

Maldives

The Maldives has outstripped even the UK in its vaccination programme, with 55.6 per cent of the population having received their first jab. And yet, despite the uptake of Astra Zeneca, Pfizer and Sinopharm doses, the country is experiencing a spike in cases – with a current seven-day case rate of 1,278 per 100,000 population (by contrast, the UK’s own is just 23). Unsurprisingly, the Maldives will remain on the UK’s ‘red’ list from May 17.

And yet, it may well bounce back later this year. The archipelago’s geography is well-suited to the new normal, with resorts and hotels often occupying their own island; indeed, isolation is a selling-point here. Visitors must pass through the islands’ capital, Male, but direct flights are possible from the UK – with no need to stopover in the Covid hotspots of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, et al.

Throughout 2020, the country welcomed Britons wherever possible, facilitating winter sun getaways long after many places had closed their borders over ‘Kent variant’ fears. Despite this, its tourism-reliant economy contracted by 28 per cent last year, according to the World Bank Group – so it will be looking to restart travel as soon as possible. Presently, its border policy is relaxed: tourists only need a negative pre-departure PCR test and a health declaration form. And British holidaymakers are poised to return: according to tour operator Abercrombie & Kent, 50 per cent of holiday enquiries are currently for beach holidays, with the Maldives driving much of the demand.