The UK government has confirmed 47 countries and territories will be removed from its red list, making it easier for more people to travel abroad to a larger number of countries and territories.

Passengers returning to England from these destinations will no longer be required to enter hotel quarantine.

The changes come into effect from Monday at 04:00.

Eligible fully vaccinated passengers and eligible under 18s returning from countries and territories not on the red list, can do so with just a day two test.

Other passengers who are not fully vaccinated with an authorised vaccine returning from a non-red destination must still take a pre-departure test, a day two and day eight test and complete ten days self-isolation (with the option of test to release on day five).

Also announced today, from Monday, eligible travellers vaccinated in over 37 new countries and territories including Brazil, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Pakistan, South Africa and Turkey, will also be treated the same as returning fully vaccinated UK residents.

That is so long as they have not visited a red list country or territory in the ten days before arriving in England.

The latest travel update builds on the announcement from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office earlier this week that it has lifted advice against all but essential travel for over 30 countries and territories.

More advisories will be removed as countries and territories come off the red list, making it easier for people to be covered by insurance when travelling to a wider list of destinations.

Transport secretary, Grant Shapps, said: “With half-term and winter sun around the corner, we’re making it easier for families and loved ones to reunite, by significantly cutting the number of destinations on the red list, thanks in part to the increased vaccination efforts around the globe.

“Restoring people’s confidence in travel is key to rebuilding our economy and levelling up this country.

“With less restrictions and more people traveling, we can all continue to move safely forward together along our pathway to recovery.”

Only seven destinations now remain on the red list - Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.

Julia Simpson, chief executive of the World Travel & Tourism Council, called for the list to be scrapped entirely.

“There is no justification for a red list to remain in the UK.

“Other countries have realised that blanket country measures are no longer needed and instead assess on individual risk and whether travellers have been fully jabbed.

“While this is great news for countries such as South Africa which have been severely impacted by their red list status, welcoming all fully-vaccinated travellers, regardless of country of origin is key to restarting safe international travel.”