Travel Advice - Covid 19
Solmar Villas are bringing to the attention of all our suppliers and villa owners, the current advice and best practice for the prevention and control measures for accommodation providers in respect of Covid 19. But clearly what is deemed as best practice will vary from country to country to country and is being continually reviewed, so may inevitably change going forward.
The local authorities in each destination will be working with tourism accommodation providers to ensure compliance throughout the Covid-19 recovery period and Solmar Villas will indeed encourage and support this.
Whether you already have a holiday booked with us or plan to book, destinations aim to have specific measures and protocols in place around safety for our accommodation providers to follow. Many of our villas will also be signing up to local COVID Safe certification.
Travel Restrictions and Government Advice
Within the everchanging situation, travel is determined by the restrictions put in place by the FCDO which changes frequently. The following link provides an up to date list of the travel restrictions in place for each destination: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-countries-and-territories-exempt-from-advice-against-all-but-essential-international-travel
The FCDO travel advice can also help make sure you have a trouble-free time whilst you're abroad and keep you aware of any changes to the country that you are travelling to. Advice is given specially in relation to each destination. It is therefore most important that you check this before you travel and know your entry requirements for your destination.
Please follow the advice of the local authorities on how best to protect yourself and others while on holiday, including any measures that they bring in to control the virus. Information can be found in relation to this on the government links for travel advice below. Select the country you are travelling to and then click on “Coronavirus” at the bottom of the page.
You can find the travel advice by the FCDO in the links below:
General Advice: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-advice-novel-coronavirus
Spain: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain
Portugal: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/portugal
Cyprus: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/cyprus
Greece: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/greece
Croatia: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/croatia
Re-Open EU
The EU have launched a website which is available in all EU languages that will provide you with real-time essential travel information so you start exploring Europe safely again.
Important Pre-Travel Information
Spain
Before you travel, you’ll need to:
Complete a Pre travel Health Control form- this form can be found online here: https://www.spth.gob.es/
Alternatively, download the SpTH app to your mobile device and complete the form.
From 1 August 2020, if you have a mobile device, it’ll be mandatory to download the SpTH app if you’re visiting Spain.
For Spain, in addition to the above, the following is required from 23rd November 2020:
- All passengers (including children) travelling to Spanish airports and ports from ‘risk’ countries (the website is in Spanish, the list of ‘at risk’ countries is at the end of the document), as determined by the European Centre for Disease Prevention & Control will be required to present a negative PCR (swab) test taken within no more than 72 hours prior to arrival, in order to enter the country. The UK is currently on the ‘risk’ countries list and passengers arriving from the UK are therefore subject to this requirement.
- You should not use the NHS testing service to get a test in order to facilitate your travel to another country. You should arrange to take a private test.
Canary Islands
For the Canary Islands, in addition to the above, the following will be required from 14th November 2020:
Summary
- All visitors that stay in a tourist establishment will need to provide a negative COVID-19 test on arrival
- The test must have been carried out in the previous 72 hours and be approved by the health authorities of your home country or the EU.
- It will be mandatory for all people over 6 years old
- The certificate may be presented in digital or paper format. The certificate is issued in the country of origin by the authorized centre. It is essential that the certificate must contain following details: the date, time of the test, the identity data of the person having the test, the authorized centre responsible for the verification test and the negative result.
- This certificate will not be required from travellers who prove that they have been in the Canary Islands for 15 days, nor from Canarian residents who declare that they have not left the archipelago in the 15 days prior to their arrival at the establishment
Please see: www.hellocanaryislands.com/coronavirus for more information. Please also refer to the FCDO travel advice for Spain.
Croatia
Before you travel you will need to:
Complete an application form, which you can find here: https://entercroatia.mup.hr/
Please click here to see the current entry requirements for Croatia: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/croatia/entry-requirements
Cyprus
Before you travel, you will need to:
Complete your Cyprus Flight Pass, this form can be found online here: https://cyprusflightpass.gov.cy/
The UK is in Cyprus’ Category B. This means that tourists are permitted to travel to Cyprus, but you must provide a negative COVID-19 test on arrival, obtained within 72 hours before travel
COVID-19 test results can be in the form of an email or SMS, but the test result itself and/or appointment letter must include the date and time when the test was taken. Children under 12 years old do not need a test to travel.
Greece
The following measures are in place with respect to travel to Greece:
- If travelling by air, land or sea to Greece, and arriving on or after Wednesday 11 November 2020, you must provide evidence of a negative result from a PCR test for COVID-19 that has been conducted within the 72 hour period before your arrival time in Greece. Failure to do so may result in your carrier not allowing you to travel and will likely result in the Greek authorities refusing you permission to enter Greece.
Malta
Since 15th July flights to and from some countries has been extended to include the UK on the Visit Malta website. All arriving passengers must have completed a paper copy of both a public health and a passenger locator form. These are available at the Malta Airport website or enquire with your airline.
As of midnight on Friday 27th November passengers travelling from the United Kingdom are required to submit a negative COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test before boarding flights to Malta. The test should be dated no more than 72 hours before arrival.
Passengers who do not present this certificate can be asked to give a swab on arrival at Malta International Airport or be asked to self-quarantine in Malta upon arrival. You should not use the NHS testing service to get a test in order to facilitate your travel to another country. You should arrange to take a private test.
The current list of regions requiring prior testing can be found here. The Maltese Government will regularly review the list of countries for which prior testing will be required.
Portugal
Before you travel you will need to:
Complete a Portugal health form, which you can download here.
Turkey
Before you travel you will need to:
Complete a Turkey health Form, which you can download here.
Top Tips For Travelling
ABTA have published a step-by-step downloadable travel guide called 'Restarting Travel' to help you safely plan your trip in today's travel landscape. You can access the guide here.
Our Top Tips for Travelling
1. Make sure you can travel to that destination. Travel advice, restrictions and entry requirements are all available via the Foreign and Commonwealth website: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
2. Make sure you have comprehensible and adequate travel insurance which covers (not limited to) medical health and cancellation refunds for your travel. We recommend that you purchase full travel insurance to protect you in any eventuality. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/foreign-travel-insurance
3. Stay safe abroad as you would at home and continue protecting yourself and others from the spread of COVID-19. Follow the guidance set in place by the World Health Organisation and any local protocols that are in place for visitors in that destination. https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/news/499/novel-coronavirus-covid-19-general-advice-for-travellers
4. Make sure you are aware of the rules for returning to the UK: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-advice-novel-coronavirus
5. Research the destination and local area to ensure that you are aware of any limited access to public facilities such as restaurants, supermarkets, attraction parks, some may be limited or unavailable during the Covid 19 pandemic or recovery period. This unfortunately is beyond anyone’s control. One of the advantages of a private villa with a pool, you still have many facilities to enjoy but in the privacy of your own villa.
6. Take PPE equipment with you such as masks, gloves and hand sanitiser to ensure you are prepared when you arrive in resort as some destination require this. See the Re-open EU website for more information.
Returning to the UK
Before you return you will need to:
-
Complete a UK arrivals/Public Health Passenger Locator Form 48 hours before returning to the UK – it’s easy to do online. Click here to complete the form.
- You may also pay for a COVID-19 test to reduce your self-isolation period upon your return, click here to find out more.