Holidays 2021: What you must do before travelling - expert top seven tips

Holidays can no longer be taken on a whim, alas. No more zipping off to Paris last minute or turning up to the airport to see where the wind takes you.

Nope, nowadays, in these Covid times, you have to carefully factor in testing, vaccine states, travel insurance and all manner of other entry requirements. Gah.

It can be pretty overwhelming but luckily travel authority ABTA has created a handy checklist.

This is what you should do in order to travel with confidence.

1. Speak to a travel professional

ABTA advises speaking to a member of ABTA to find the best holiday for you and guide you through each step of the journey.

2. Book a package holiday

Booking this sort of getaway offers the best form of protection for your travel plans.

3. Check the latest travel advice

Look up the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) travel advice for your destination to find the latest entry requirements and local rules relating to coronavirus.

4. Check the traffic light list

The Government's traffic light list continues to change so make sure you've got your head around the green, amber and red list. The good news if you're double vaccinated is that you don't have to quarantine on return to England for both green and amber list countries. World of Cruising's handy infographic should help guide you.

5. Get travel insurance

Make sure you buy travel insurance as soon as you book your holiday and be sure it covers you for Covid. Many cruise lines have specific requirements when it comes to insurance now so don't skip this step even if it feels like a pricey add-on!

6.Sort out travel documents

Make sure all your travel documents are in order. For instance, check your passport validity meets entry requirements and you’ve applied for the visas you need.

7. Research your destination

Research the new measures that will be in place on your journey and in-destination. For example, make sure you find out the rules around face coverings and social distancing.

Where can you go in 2021?

Graeme Buck, Director of Communications at ABTA commented: “It is great news that from 19 July double vaccinated travellers in England will be able to return from amber list destinations without needing to self-isolate.

“Crucially, these changes make it easier to travel to a number of summer holiday hotspots – including Spain’s Canary Islands and Rhodes, Kos, Zakynthos, Crete and Corfu in Greece – which are currently on the amber list but where the Foreign Office isn’t advising against all but essential travel.

"These popular destinations offer miles of beautiful beaches, gorgeous sunny weather and delicious local cuisine – and are also accepting proof of vaccination status for entry.

"This means that British travellers who have received both doses of an approved COVID-19 vaccine won’t need to provide a negative test result in order to enter, instead they will be able to use the NHS COVID Pass to show that they have been fully vaccinated.

“This adds to the popular holiday destinations that are currently on the green list, including Malta, Madeira, the Balearic Islands and several islands in the Caribbean, where travellers – whether vaccinated or not – also don’t need to isolate on their return to the UK.

“Anyone who hasn’t been vaccinated will still be able to enjoy a holiday to an amber list destination but will need to quarantine at home on their return and take a test on day eight. Those in England will also have the option to use the Test to Release scheme on day five."