Holidays: Britons may be barred from holidays in Ireland until summer, says expert

Britons have been forced to put their holiday plans on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic as of late, which has seen many budding travellers plan holidays closer to home. But if Britons were hoping to take a trip to the Emerald Isle for a summer holiday, they may be left disappointed. One expert revealed to The Independent that it may not be until the Autumn “before we see the recovery story happening for tourism in Ireland this year”.

Ireland has so far recorded a total of 22,385 cases of coronavirus and just over 1,400 deaths.

Ireland’s Taoiseach Leo Varadkar explained in an address to the country that the government will be implementing a five-phase road map to help the country recover from the coronavirus.

He said: “Our plan is to open the country in a slow, staged, phased way. Five stages, three weeks apart starting on May 18.

“And if all things go to plan, the fifth phase will commence on August 10.”

The road map does not clearly explain when visitors from Britain and other countries will be allowed to visit as tourists.

However, phase four, which will begin on July 20, will see the reopening of campsites, hostels and hotels take place.

According to Ireland’s government website, phase five includes non-resident tourist travel to Ireland’s offshore islands.

Currently flights and ferry services are continuing to operate between Ireland and Great Britain.

Some airlines are also operating a reduced service between the two nations.

At the end of April, the Irish government announced that people arriving from overseas, including those from Ireland, will have to self-isolate for 14 days.

The government website added: “Passengers on air and sea routes into Ireland must fill in a health passenger locator form providing the address of where they will self-isolate for the next 14 days and contact details for follow up.”