Balearic Islands removed from Scotland's green travel list

The Balearic Islands have been removed from Scotland’s international travel green list.

The popular holiday resorts – including Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza – have been added to the amber list of destinations due to rising coronavirus cases, just over a fortnight after they went green.

The Scottish Government says the decision was taken on a four nations basis, with the British Virgin Islands also removed from the green list.

Travellers returning from amber-list destinations must self-isolate upon their return for 10 days unless they have received both doses of vaccination (exemption applies from Monday).

Amber list returnees must take PCR tests on days two and eight once home but travellers who have been fully vaccinated by the NHS – and received their second dose at least 14 days before travel – won’t need to self-isolate and only need to take a day two PCR test.

All passengers still need to take a PCR test before boarding the plane and travelling back to Scotland from their destination.

Meanwhile, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hong Kong and Taiwan have been added to the green list due to an improving outlook in those countries.

Four countries will be added to the red list, with arrivals required to enter quarantine hotels for 10 days. Those are Cuba, Indonesia, Myanmar and Sierra Leone.

All of the changes come into effect on Monday, July 19, potentially sparking a rush for holidaymakers to return to avoid the need to quarantine.

Mairi McAllan, the minister for environment, biodiversity and land reform, said: “From the outset we have said caution is required regarding international travel and people should think very carefully about travelling abroad as situations can suddenly change.

“When we added the Balearic Islands to the green list we said we would be closely monitoring the data, and the increase in cases we have seen means we now have to take it off the green list.”