On Thursday (7 October), the Department for Transport announced that the category would be slashed from 54 countries down to seven, effective Monday (11 October). 

While chief executive of Abta Mark Tanzer welcomed the move, he also called on the central authority to put plans in place to replace day two PCR tests with cheaper lateral flow tests in time for the October half-term.

"We also urge the government to remove all testing for primary school age children, which would bring it in line with the approach it has for testing in schools," he added.

He further advised travel companies to refer to Foreign Office advice for information about countries that have come off of the red list, as there may be a "lag" in the FCDO’s alignment with the DfT’s updated categories. 

Aito also "warmly welcomed" the recent overhaul alongside the announcement by the FCDO that it is "working hard" to bring its travel advice in line with the DfT’s reduced list of banned countries. 

Aito chair Chris Rowles said "7 October will be a day to remember" when the industry looks back on the pandemic in years to come.

"While we don’t expect a huge rush of family half-term holiday bookings - it is very late in the day for such plans - this is most definitely a positive step in terms of travel at last reopening again," he added.

"Consumers will now have considerably more confidence in respect of travelling abroad, which bodes very well indeed for the coming winter sun and ski seasons.

"Slowly, but surely, we are starting to emerge from the past 19 months of cancellations, deferrals and the inability of many in the travel industry even to trade."