Travel restriction updates: Spanish cities likely to be off-limits to tourists this summer

Thanks for joining us today. Here's what we learnt:

• You might be able to visit Spain this summer, but probably an island, not a city
• You might also have to wear a face mask on the beach
• Travel restrictions are being lifted in Australia, Italy, India, Vietnam and beyond
• Travel bubbles, air bridges and sea bridges all (sort of) mean the same thing. They could also save your summer holiday 
• Qatar Airways is taking Covid-19 very seriously
• If all else fails, you can always go camping in Devon

After months of flatlining figures, campsite booking companies saw an immediate upturn in reservations following the Prime Minister’s announcement that parts of the hospitality industry could reopen on July 4.

Cool Camping, an online guide and bookings site listing 600 campsites, saw its best ever day for trade last Sunday, and so far this month has seen a 60 per cent increase in revenue compared to May 2019. 

“There is no doubt that there is plenty of pent-up demand,” said Jonathan Knight, founder and CEO of Cool Camping.

“People are desperate to get something in the diary this summer, and camping offers an easy sort of holiday without having to worry about airports or quarantines.”

Tom Mulvihill has the fully story. 

The latest OAG blog examines the rise of the "travel bubble", with nations looking to team up to get travel and tourism moving. 

It writes: "There’s the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which are now discussing adding Finland and Poland (1). The inclusion of Finland highlights that these bubbles, of course, can include countries which don’t share a common border, and can be bridges rather than bubbles. There’s another possible bubble emerging between France, Germany and Austria (2). The UK government announcement of quarantine exceptions for France [since rescinded] and Ireland immediately gave rise to the notion of an Ireland/France/UK bubble (3), even if that might sit uncomfortably with the EU.

"Across the pond travel restrictions between the US and Canada may end on May 21^st creating a North American bubble (4) - or they may not [they didn't, see below]. Another corridor of less restricted flying is between China and South Korea (5) which has introduced fast track flying for business travellers. Then there is the Trans-Tasman bubble, allowing travel between Australia and New Zealand (6)."

With voyages cancelled across the globe, it's not the ideal time to launch a cruise ship. Yet luxury cruise line Silversea is pressing ahead with plans to unveil its newest vessel, Silver Origin, this summer.

Silver Origin, with room for just 100 passengers, is the first destination-specific ship built by the company, and is designed for experiential travel in the Galapagos. Ben Parker has the full story. 

As airlines around the world relaunch services, here's one that isn't taking any chances. Qatar Airways has revealed its new uniform for flight attendants, featuring a full hazmat bodysuit, safety goggles, gloves and a face mask. Your holiday starts here!

Telegraph Travel's own wild camping fanatic Greg Dickinson hopes the Government will see sense and legalise the practice of wild camping to help Britons salvage something from the summer. 

Everyone has their ‘post pandemic’ travel fantasy. My girlfriend’s is to visit her family in Coimbra, Portugal. My boss’s is to go on a trip to the Italian Lakes, cancelled due to Covid-19. My mum dreams of booking a big Airbnb for the family.

My fantasy, however, is very specific. I dream of setting off from my south London flat on my bicycle, with two panniers loaded up with camping equipment, a stove, a bottle of plonk and a towel. I’d do it alone, or with one other.

I will cycle for 70 or more miles and find somewhere remote, ideally near a lake or river for a morning dip. It will be far enough from civilization to have truly dark skies. I will awake to the sound of birds and then be on my way. Believe it or not, these places do exist a cyclable distance from all of the UK’s cities.

Après-ski just won't be the same, says Lucy Aspden. 

The Austrian resort of Ischgl, which has been identified as a key epicentre for the virus in Europe, was the first in the world to say it will be reconsidering its approach to party tourism. “We will question developments of the past years and, where necessary, make corrections,” said Werner Kurz, the resort’s mayor. “That means more quality and less party tourism, prioritising skiers and fewer day-trippers on buses who only come to party.”

Hopefully by next winter all restaurants and bars will be back open, some in Alps have already been granted permission to lift the shutters. But it’s likely there will be some restrictions in place – two-metre spaces between tables, requirements to pre-book and more options to take food away. Large and wild après parties will have to be reconsidered and the focus may shift to a more sophisticated off-the-slope offering in resorts instead.

The Italian flag carrier plans to increase its flight schedule by 36 per cent next month as countries ease coronavirus travel restrictions.

It plans to resume domestic flights, a service from Rome and New York, as well as certain routes to Spain, on June 2. 

Reuters reports that India will allow airlines to begin some domestic flights from May 25, two months after the country imposed a ban on all air travel. 

"Domestic civil aviation operations will recommence in a calibrated manner from Monday," its civil aviation minister, Hardeep Singh Puri, said on Twitter.

No visas to UK nationals are currently being issued, and it will no doubt be some time before trips to the country are possible again.

It isn't just Dubrovnik that's bereft of visitors. Here's a snapshot of three other European cities that would normally be swarming with travellers rights now. 

Remember when Dubrovnik was suffering from overtourism? The situation is rather different right now. And in an attempt to convince uncertain travellers to return, the city is already making changes. It has halved the price of a ticket to walk its famous walls, and has launched a marketing drive to get airlines to relaunch flights. Those that do will be provided with financial compensation. 

Millions of Britons are still hoping for a taste of Spain this summer, but it will be a very different seaside experience if they are able to visit. 

Plans are afoot to limit beach-goers to four-hour stays to prevent popular spots becoming crowded, while sunbathers will be encouraged to shower before leaving their hotel or apartment and again upon arrival. Furthermore, parents will be asked not to let their children leave beach toys lying around in case others pick them up.

“I think we’ll have to get used to going to beaches in a different way to that we’ve been enjoying up to now,” said Juan Marin, vice-president of the regional government of Andalusia, which issued the recommendations. It plans to reopen its beaches on Monday. 

Sunbathers will also face the prospect of being forced to wear a face mask. This week the Spanish Health Ministry announced that masks will soon be made obligatory in closed public spaces but also outdoors where social distancing cannot be respected. 

With Spain becoming the latest country to make face masks obligatory in closed public spaces, but also outdoors where social distancing cannot be respected, Anna Hart has a few ground rules:

At what point is it acceptable to remove one’s mask when dining at an al fresco restaurant? I’d suggest removing one’s mask after unfurling one’s napkin, and then re-masking before paying at the end of a meal or - god forbid - walking past other tables. 

Remove your mask before donning a snorkel, but put it on before a bike helmet, got it?

Read the full story.

It will be some time before Britons can visit, but residents of the Australian region will be allowed to take domestic breaks from June 1. 

“You can go on a holiday with your family and friends, but know the holiday you’re taking from June 1 will be different to a holiday you have taken before,” premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Wednesday.  

Rob Crossan is truly sick of regional tourists boards telling visitors to stay away: 

When top ranking scientists start using phrases like ‘vanishingly small’ then you would assume they’re talking about your chances of contracting trench foot or being bitten by an adder.

But these are far from ordinary times. And so this comment, made by Dr Chris Smith, clinical lecturer in virology at the University of Cambridge, regarding the chances of contracting Covid-19 whilst outdoors, are simply no match for the bilious stench of populist bluster designed to placate those who would actually most stand to benefit from some sort of domestic tourist season taking place this summer.

We now live in ‘stay away UK.’ And what a thoroughly unpleasant island it is. 

This summer, for the first time since package holidays to Spain began in the 1950s, we’re looking to Filey instead of France, Calderdale instead of California and Kent instead of Ghent for our summer break.

But, thanks to the kamikaze work of many UK regional tourist boards, many of us will be doing exactly what these quangos desire, staying at home and not putting a single penny into the towns and resorts of the UK.

What could be more different to a sanitised resort and a beach with sunloungers carefully placed two metres apart? Rio Carnival. That's where Michelle Jana Chan longs to be after this is all over. Read the full story. 

Only 2,900 foreign visitors entered Japan during the whole of April, a fall of more than 99.9% year-on-year. It is a staggering figure that lays bare the impact of the global Covid-19 lockdowns – Japan had previously been on the fastest growing destinations on the planet. 

Since April 3, entry to Japan has been denied for any non-Japanese nationals who have been to the UK, along with a host of other countries, in the previous 14 days, other than in exceptional circumstances.

It will come as no surprise to anyone to learn that, after two months without visitors, Portugal's tourism-dependent Algarve region is already facing an unemployment crisis. 

Reuters reports that in the southern Algarve, usually packed with tourists but now nearly deserted, just over 4,700 people registered as unemployed in April, bringing the total out of work to 26,379 - nearly 15,000 or 123% more than this time last year. 

No wonder João Fernandes, President of Algarve Tourism, is keen for UK travellers to return. He told Telegraph Travel: “If British holidaymakers are allowed to fly to countries with low coronavirus infection rates via ‘air bridges’, without having the need for quarantine, the Algarve will be the place to be. There is a big British community living in the Algarve willing to bring back their family and friends like they do every year so this would be great news and opportunity for them to.”

Don't fancy a plate of seaweed, foraged mushrooms and moss? You will probably like the new Noma, which is ditching its Nordic roots in favour of something altogether less fancy. The Danish restaurant plans to welcome diners again on May 21, but will be replacing its £300 tasting menu with £20 burgers. Emma Cooke has the full story. 

Italy will reopen to international tourists on June 3, the country’s prime minister has announced, but will Britons find a clear path to the rolling hills of Tuscany this summer?

Certainly not unless the UK Foreign Office lifts its ban on all but essential travel, and not if Britain introduces a two-week quarantine policy.

Luigi Di Maio, Italy's Foreign Minister, declared yesterday that he did not want any "tourist corridors" in the EU (of which Britain remains part during the Brexit transition period). He added that Italy will re-open 360 degrees.

"If we don’t change direction soon, there will be serious consequences for the tourism sector in all European countries," he added, describing bilateral agreements on tourist flows as "against the EU’s spirit". 

Read more about the return of tourism to Italy. 

Thinking of a trip to the countryside this bank holiday weekend? You're not alone. Our suggestion is Hampshire, home to two national parks, an AONB, and 230 miles of largely undiscovered coastline. What's more, its tourism authorities have been a little more positive than others when it comes to welcoming outsiders. 

Ann Shepley, Communications Officer of North Wessex Downs AONB, said: “We understand and have every sympathy with people wanting to get out and about and experience our beautiful landscapes at what is the most gorgeous time of year. Being outside in a green space is great for mental health and wellbeing.”

See our pick of the county's outdoor highlights. 

The global aviation hub of Singapore will once again permit travellers to transit through Changi Airport from June 2. Since March, non-residents have been banned from visiting the city state and only those on repatriation flights have been permitted to use its airport as an international stepping stone. The decision paves the way for airlines to relaunch services if demand allows.

Changi Airport, usually among the world's busiest, recorded just 25,200 passenger movements in April, down 99.5% year-on-year.

Yesterday was all about the 'air bridge', now it's the turn of the 'sea bridge' (it's a fancy term for a ferry). 

Hugh Morris reports that arrangements with the UK’s European neighbours could see hundreds of thousands of British travellers shipped to destinations including France, Spain and the Netherlands. 

“The ferry sector has a lot of potential for a more immediate recovery,” said Richard Ballantyne, chief executive of the British Ports Association. “Because you are travelling to the port in your vehicle, when you get on board, while you cannot stay in your car, you can take advantage of a bigger space.

“It’s not like sitting on a plane. Ferry travel is a real opportunity if we are to recover and open up international travel.”

One reader has been told they will have to wait up to eight weeks for a flight refund. Considering Ryanair has said its passengers may have to wait for up to a year, that's actually pretty good. Nick Trend says:

If you imagine the pressures on airlines at the moment I personally think that eight weeks, while not ideal, is an understandable delay.

Our live Q&A ends in 10 minutes. Send your question now. 

The Government's proposed two-week quarantine period appears to favour those who can work from home. What about everyone else? Nick Trend says: 

I’m not an employment lawyer but my understanding is that there is no requirement for an employer to let you stay away from work because you have been abroad. But why don’t you talk to them and ask? Frankly, I think there is an excellent chance that any quarantine rules will be very short lived and probably removed sometime in July.

Follow our live Q&A for more.

Nick Trend doubts it:

I’m personally not convinced that the quarantine measures will actually happen, but if they do I can’t see them lasting in a blanket fashion for more than a few weeks. Much more likely is that they might be imposed on passengers arriving from specific destinations.

Follow our live Q&A for more.

Our live holiday Q&A is about to start. While I grab some lunch, please join Nick Trend for the next hour as he answers your queries on refunds, cancellations and travel restrictions. Follow this link to post your questions. 

Of all the battlegrounds to have emerged during the coronavirus crisis - PPE equipment, testing, when and if schools should reopen - it looks increasingly likely that one of the bitterest will be fought out at a local level. The controversy as to whether beauty spots across the UK should be open to all as the warm months arrive has only grown since it was effectively authorised by the loosening of lockdown restrictions in England last week. And what began as mutterings among residents about visitors heading to places that aren’t yet ready to receive them has begun to “bloom” into deliberate obstructionism.

In recent days, placards and barricades have started to appear in parts of the Lake District - where a continuing high rate of infection and a large potentially vulnerable elderly demographic has elevated concerns about further transmission. Messages scribbled onto boards include “no entry”, “please stay away”, and - in one specific case - “Keswick is still closed. Please come back when we are open”. This “informal” lock-out has even included “impromptu” road blocks - with plastic barriers blocking routes to popular sites.

Peter Edmondson, who runs a farm in Seathwaite, has erected signs asking people to stop entering his land, even though his property abuts a public path. “We can’t close a public right of way without permission,” he says. “But you must understand, this is our home.”

Mr Edmondson, 65, suffered pneumonia as a child, and is missing part of his lung. “I find it very threatening,” he explains. “It keeps going through my mind that if I got Covid-19, it would kill me. But people have no respect. They’ve been taking no notice whatsoever.”

France, Spain or Italy? We're guessing you'd like a holiday just about anywhere...

Thailand is keeping its borders firmly closed, Vietnam wants a "travel bubble" with Australia, but what are the chances of Britons reaching south-east Asia this year? Our expert Lee Cobaj reports:

The Tourism Authority of Thailand are now planning a second opening-up phase, which may permit tourists from low-risk countries to visit low-risk areas of Thailand, where they could be loosely contained, such as its islands. 

Over in Indonesia, the situation looks less positive. Borders remains closed to foreign arrivals and the Ministry of Tourism has announced that Bali, famed for silver beaches, tumbling rice fields, rugged volcanoes and spiritual vibes, will not reopen to international tourists until at least October.   

Bilbao's spectacular Guggenheim Museum, as well as the city's Fine Arts Museum, will reopen on June 1, almost three months after first closing their doors as part of Spain's nationwide lockdown. 

To help limit crowding, extended opening hours will be offered. Covid-19 protocols are still to be confirmed, but face mask will almost certainly be mandatory. The Spanish Health Ministry announced this week that masks will soon be made obligatory in closed public spaces. 

For the latest advice on when Britons can travel to Spain, see our guide. Museums in the UK look unlikely to reopen until July.

With the tourism industry facing its greatest crisis, many have called for the Government to stop making vague promises and start offering a clear path out of this mess. 

Today Sonia Davies, CEO of Scott Dunn, had her say:

An 'air bridge' policy would give the industry a welcome boost if it were to allow guests to travel this summer.  However, greater clarity is needed on how this would work logistically for holidaymakers as well as airports and airlines. Both those travelling and the wider industry have already been left confused by the lack of detail on quarantine measures and how they will be enforced. 

In addition, Foreign Office advice would need to be amended from its current status advising against of all but essential international travel to ensure that holidaymakers had valid insurance for their holidays.

Once there is greater clarity from the Government on how the policy will work in practice, what the clear timelines are and what the next steps would be, then we'll be able to assess the move and whether the outcome will be positive for the industry.

The US government has extended for another month restrictions on non-essential travel across the borders with Canada and Mexico. 

The US Department of Homeland Security said the closure, first ordered on March 20, will be extended until June 22 and reviewed every 30 days.

British nationals are not currently permitted to enter the USA if they have been in the UK, Ireland, the Schengen Zone, Iran or China within the previous 14 days. Those allowed entry must be prepared to self-isolate for up to 14 days after arrival. 

With just 324 coronavirus cases and no deaths, Vietnamese authorities have eased many of the country's lockdown restrictions, allowing pubs, cinemas and spas to reopen. Now it is trying to kickstart tourism by encouraging domestic travel and seeking agreements with other relatively unaffected countries. 

Ken Atkinson, vice chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board, told Reuters that the first nations it will target could be Australia and New Zealand, which are considering their own free-movement zone.

Lizzie Frainier reports that OS Greenspace, a digital map that highlights hidden beauty spots on your doorstep, has seen an increase in traffic of 1,728 per cent since February.

It is free to use and can be accessed online in your web browser, or via your phone through the app. The map displays all greenspaces nearby, and each is marked in a different colour to identify the type, ranging from public park or garden to allotments and cemeteries. Small green dots denote pedestrian access entrances, and red dots mark vehicle access. 

The palatial home of the Duke and Duchess of Rutland is reopening its 16-acre garden to visitors this weekend for the first time in months. However, only locals will be able to visit at first. "Whilst visitors have been absent from Belvoir, the gardens have burst into life with narcissus, camellias, rhododendrons and magnolias," said Emma, Duchess of Rutland. "They all look spectacular at the moment and we hope that a walk in the outdoors will be a welcome relief from the stresses of recent times." 

We've spoken to a host of the world's top travel writers and adventurers to find out where they'll visit after lockdown. See what they had to say. 

Yesterday VisitBritain said only 19% of people are “talking about booking domestic holidays for the summer”. However, Telegraph readers still seem keen to enjoy the best of Blighty.  We posed the question yesterday and 67% of you said you would take a UK holiday if a trip to Europe isn't on the agenda. 

Rodney Bolt, our Amsterdam expert, has been watching the city come back to life:

The route that really brushes away the cobwebs of lockdown monotony begins a few minutes from home in the (cycle-free) Amstelpark, a sprawling park laid out in 1972 for the Floriade flower and gardening expo, full of secret nooks, quiet copses and little surprises. 

Cascades of birdsong fill the air. Before lockdown this was one of Amsterdam’s least-visited parks. It seems busier these days, but people give each other room, and there are plenty of untrodden paths.

Every visit throws up something I’ve not seen before – eccentric topiary hidden behind a hedge on one walk, a mossy bench beside a secluded pond on another. 

Nadeesha Uyangoda writes:

Yesterday I had my first espresso in a bar for two months. The young barista was wearing gloves and a mask, and a plastic curtain was hung above the counter. La dolce vita it was not. Nonetheless, it was a return to one of the small rituals of Italian life. Friends are able to meet again, people are free to move within regions, and restaurants are welcoming customers to carefully distanced tables.

My mother owns the beauty salon next door and she has been planning its reopening since the lockdown started. Experts say that hair salons, barber shops, nail bars and the like are among those most at risk of spreading coronavirus. But life cannot remain locked down for ever.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand has extend its ban on all international flights until at least June 30. The travel industry reacted with disappointment and surprise at the news – Thailand has reported just 54 coronavirus deaths and has only seen a handful of new cases this week. 

The Foreign Office's advice states: "A nationwide curfew is in effect daily from 11pm until 4am until further notice. The only exceptions are medical personnel, banking sector workers, transportation of essential goods, commuting to and from the airport (with flight tickets), postal delivery, and those with official night shift duty. All passengers must wear masks on all public transport. Many shops have the same requirement. All entertainment venues such as pubs and clubs, and educational institutions are temporarily closed, as are popular tourist activities."

Associated Press reports that virtual safaris are helping to distract people under coronavirus lockdowns while attracting badly needed support for African wildlife parks hit hard by the disappearance of tourists.

"Wildlife tourism is a major source of revenue for countries like Kenya," writes Joe Mwihia. "Some operators are now sharing live broadcasts of safaris on social media in the hope that attention to endangered and other species doesn't fade."

One example is the Ol Pejeta Conservancy, where workers have created what they call Sofa Safaris, driving around filming with a smartphone from an open-top vehicle.

Meanwhile, the luxury safari company andBeyond recently teamed up with WildEarth to offer its own virtual game drives from Ngala Private Game Reserve and Djuma Private Game Reserve. You can watch their latest effort below. 

Louise Simpson reports from Monaco (population density: 49,230 per square mile), which is easing its lockdown gradually and luxuriously.

From floating breakfast trays and retractable restaurant roofs to smartphone menus and robots, this tiny principality is prepping up for a new era of tourism with health and safety at its core.

Spas and hairdressers are open again with stringent safety precautions, including outdoor receptions. Beaches have also opened for locals to swim, but not yet to sunbathe, with lifeguards on hand to sanitise outdoor showers. Restaurants and cafés are scheduled to reopen in early June, while nightclubs and gyms will remain closed until mid-July at the earliest.

Barcelona has been devoid of tourists for two months now, and the city’s hotels, deprived of guests, stand empty.

Well, not entirely empty.

One man alone has been bedding down each night for the past eight weeks on the 24^th floor of the W Barcelona, a landmark hotel on the city’s waterfront. Tom Mulvihill has the full story. 

Norwegian, the low-cost airline, has secured a long-sought credit guarantee from Norway's government after completing a debt restructuring. The deals secures its future, but as a dramatically slimmed-down version of its former self. It previously warned that nearly all of its planes could be grounded until 2021, and its much vaunted long-haul services now look certain to face the chop. 

There's an awful got of confusion when it comes to summer holidays. Will I be able to visit Europe or should I cancel? Will UK holidays be possible? Why won't Ryanair just give me my blasted refund?! To answer these questions, and any others you may have, our Consumer Editor Nick Trend will be hosting a live Q&A at 1pm today. Post your question here. 

Britons can't visit, of course, but a clutch of theme parks are due to reopen in Florida in the coming days. We've already reported on the relaunch of Disney Springs, Walt Disney World's shopping, dining and entertainment complex, now three more, Gatorland, Fun Spot America and ICON Park, have announced plans to welcome visitors again. Fun Spot America reportedly hopes to reopen this Friday, and Gatorland on Saturday. ICON Park has not yet set a date.

Will any country join Britain in creating one? Greg Dickinson rated the runners and the riders. His pick? Portugal.

Portugal is a favourite among British sun-seekers, and as the country has kepts its R number below 1 since the beginning of April, it is surely a prime contender. The Algarve is sounding particularly promising. João Fernandes, President of Algarve Tourism, said:

“If British holidaymakers are allowed to fly to countries with low coronavirus infection rates via ‘air bridges’, without having the need for quarantine, the Algarve will be the place to be. There is a big British community living in the Algarve willing to bring back their family and friends like they do every year so this would be great news and opportunity for them to.”

The phrase "air bridge" became a thing.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced plans to create "air bridges" with other nations, effectively exempting certain countries from a 14-day quarantine on arrival into the UK.

The idea was met with widespread derision. Our Consumer Editor Nick Trend called it yet another "half-baked" scheme which has only increased our confusion, our reporter Chris Leadbeater said it makes about as much sense as a five-year-old's drawing,  while the beleaguered tourism industry told the Government to ditch the soundbites and actually provide some clarity. 

Noel Jospehides, director of Aito, the Association of Independent Tour Operators, asked: "Is this a carefully-considered and workable option? Our fingers have been badly burnt by earlier off-the-cuff comments by Mr Shapps, and this Government, unfortunately, has a record of making grand statements only to retract or change them substantially a day or so later."

For a full recap of yesterday's big stories, follow this link.