Speaking at the daily government press briefing, Patel refused to be drawn about whether people should book a holiday.

She said it was “far too early to speculate” about future border restrictions and “whether people should be booking a holiday”.

Patel also said reports about the government looking to introduce enforced hotel quarantine for UK arrivals were “speculative”.

Reports have suggested that the government is considering the use of hotels for enforced quarantine for travellers arriving in the UK – similar to the regime operated in Australia.

But Patel said these reports were talking about “speculative measures” and stressed the “strong and stringent” measures already in place, such as the requirement for a negative Covid-19 test, quarantine and the passenger locator form that travellers have to fill in.

The WTTC said any plans for enforced hotel quarantine would come as “another crushing blow” to the UK travel and tourism sector.

Gloria Guevara, WTTC president and chief executive, said: “The latest expected announcement from the UK government, which will force UK arrivals to quarantine in a hotel for up to two weeks at their own cost, will be yet another crushing blow to the ailing UK travel and tourism sector."