Holiday confusion as Portugal added to Wales and Scotland quarantine lists but not England or NI's
Video report by ITV News Europe Editor James Mates
Holidaymakers across the UK have been left confused after Wales and Scotland added Portugal to their quarantines lists, but England and Northern Ireland did not.
Along with Portugal, Wales has removed Gibraltar, French Polynesia and the Greek islands of Mykonos, Zakynthos, Lesvos, Paros and Antiparos and Crete from the list of exempt countries and territories.
Anyone returning to Wales from those countries after 4am on Friday must self-isolate for 14 days.
The Azores and Madeira remain exempt from Wales's quarantine list.
Just hours later, Scotland announced that anyone arriving into Scotland from Portugal or French Polynesia will have to self isolate for two weeks as of Saturday.
Scottish Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf added that Gibraltar remains "high up" on his country's "watch list of countries we are monitoring closely".
While in England, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps confirmed there will be no additions to England's quarantine lis.
In Northern Ireland, returnees from Portugal and Greece are still exempt from quarantine.
ITV News Political Correspondent Carl Dinnen explains why quarantine measures are different in different parts of the UK
The way separate UK nations have announced their quarantine rules have been criticised, with growing disparity between Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland causing confusion.
Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, told the PA news agency: "The quarantine policy is in tatters and dividing the United Kingdom.
"Consumers are totally confused by the different approaches and it's impossible to understand the Government's own criteria any more on when to add or remove a country.
"The current strategy has to change, the weekly reviews have been causing anxiety and financial pain for so many consumers and travel firms."
ITV News Consumer Editor Chris Choi said UK holidaymakers are having to take part in a "travel roulette" if they want to go abroad this year.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said: “Days of speculation around this announcement meant many people rushed to pay extortionate prices for flights back to England to avoid having to quarantine on their return – only to now find out there was no need.
“The government knows this and yet it continues to offer no clarity around how these decisions are made, all while ignoring the growing evidence suggesting this system is not working.
“If the government is serious about letting international travel resume while prioritising public health, a major reassessment of its approach is needed.
“It must also look further ahead to ensuring future travel is protected and bring in major reforms to restore confidence among holidaymakers who have been let down over this period.”
ITV News Europe Editor James Mates explains the economic damage being done by the quickly changing quarantine rules
Mr Shapps said he "won't hesitate" to remove countries from England's list of safe travel destinations and warned hopeful holidaymakers they are risking 14 day quarantines if they travel abroad.
He tweeted: "We continue to keep the Travel Corridor list under constant review & won't hesitate to remove countries if needed. However, there are no English additions or removals today.
"Nonetheless, holidaymakers are reminded - 14-day quarantine countries can & do change at very short notice".
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said a decision on whether to impose restrictions on the countries would be announced on Friday.
Welsh Health minister Vaughan Gething said the action is being taken as a result of a "large number of cases of coronavirus have been imported into Wales from tourists returning from the Greek islands, in particular."
In the last week, there have been more than 20 cases confirmed in passengers on one flight from Zante to Cardiff.
In Portugal there were 23.0 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people in the country in the seven days to Wednesday, up from 15.3 a week earlier.
There were 13.8 coronavirus cases per 100,000 people in Greece in the seven days to Wednesday, down from 14.9 a week earlier.
A seven-day rate of 20 is the threshold above which the UK Government will currently consider triggering quarantine conditions.