Portugal was omitted from an initial list of more than 50 return quarantine exemptions published earlier this month, but was expected to feature following an initial three-week review due on Monday (27 July).

However, just five countries featured on a revised list published by the Department for Transport (DfT) on Friday (24 July) – Estonia, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The Foreign Office, meanwhile, also updated its list of exemptions to the UK’s non-essential travel advisory, which also excludes mainland Portugal.

The DfT has, though, pledged to update gov.uk with any additions on a weekly basis, going forward.

Portugal had been expected to feature prominently in the first round of travel corridor announcements, but was eventually left off the list – reportedly due to a spike in coronavirus infection in and around capital Lisbon. Talks are understood to have continued into July.

The local lockdown in Lisbon has since been lifted and the city’s tourist board has said it is ready to welcome visitors, while the situation in Portugal – where there was already a significantly lower rate of infection than in the UK – continues to improve.

This is in stark contrast to neighbouring Spain, where several regions have reintroduced Covid lockdown measures in recent weeks.

Advantage Travel Partnership chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said led the calls on Friday (24 July) for the government to reconsider its stance on Portugal.

"While it’s positive the government has reviewed its list of ’safe’ destinations, it’s a shame popular destinations for Brits such as Portugal and its islands are not included," she said, adding it was "unlikely" the destinations added to the quarantine exemption list on Friday would drive summer sales and help agents recover from months of "little to no revenue".

"We need to get behind our travel industry, encourage those bookings to key destinations and give consumers the confidence to explore the world again," Lo Bue-Said added.

Paul Charles, founder of the PC Agency and spokesperson for the travel sector-led Quash Quarantine campaign, added Portugal’s omission would be "very damaging" for its economy and UK outbound summer bookings. "Portugal’s summer season is lost," he said.

’Real blow’

Sean Moriarty, chief executive of Portugal’s Quinta do Lago resort in the Algarve, said he was "extremely disappointed" by the decision.

"Over the past four months, Portugal has been recognised for managing the virus exceptionally well – we locked down early and really led the way in reducing the spread of infection," he said. "It therefore came as a real shock to be excluded from a partnership with the UK - especially when our rate of infection does not justify this decision.

"In the Algarve, cases have always remained extremely low, and our resort has been open for over a month now without numbers increasing.  Even in Lisbon, although there has been an unfortunate rise in cases, this took place in a non-tourist area and is now fully under control - our government acted very quickly to reduce and contain the spread by closing down the area.

"Friday’s announcement, therefore, comes as a real blow. We really need the UK government to lift its restrictions to allow us a chance at a real summer season.

"Although some of our regular guests who visit the resort each summer are still booking, in the knowledge they will quarantine when returning home, we are hoping a travel corridor is forged in the very near future to boost British numbers. We have the weather, the safety measures and the lifestyle - now we just need the guests."

Meanwhile, several agents and readers got in touch with TTG, questioning the government’s stance on Portugal. Travel Counsellor Ian Gifford said the decision was inconsistent with government policy in the UK.

"I have been to the Algarve about 100 times and never visited Lisbon from there where the issue is in districts that tourists do not go. There are similar issues in Barcelona," he said.

"On the other hand, Leicester is 100 miles from Heathrow but [ministers] are fine to let tourists come to London. Lisbon, by contrast, is 178 [miles] from the Algarve – inconsistency is the problem."

Clive Gore of GG&G Distribution said the UK government’s treatment of Portugal was "scandalous" while Algarve-based Portugal News editor Paul Luckman branded the decision a disgrace.

Writing for TTG earlier this month, TravelTime World director Jackie Steadman, who has a property in the Algarve, said Portugal was "crying out" for the return of British tourists.

"Day to day life in my town of Carvoeiro appears very normal, although there is a distinct lack of tourists," she said. "The town is really suffering financially as it is very dependent on UK tourists.

"People really can’t understand the UK government’s decision not to agree a travel corridor with Portugal or make a Foreign Office exemption for the country. We are 300km from the ’lockdown’ in Lisbon – my home in the UK is fewer than 60 miles from the lockdown in Leicester."