Mark Drakeford has said the stay local travel rule could be lifted within days allowing people to travel more widely for the first time since December.
The First Minister said he is "optimistic" that as coronavirus figures continue to fall in Wales, the ban on people staying local to their homes could be lifted.
Mr Drakeford told Members of the Senedd meeting virtually for plenary that: "At the moment the stay local arrangements remain necessary in Wales because of the state of the public health emergency.
"I remain optimistic that given the current figures that we continue to see in Wales with the improvements we are seeing that by the end of the next week we may be able to move from stay local to people being able to travel more widely across Wales."
It has been clarified the First Minister is referring to the end of the current week.
Schools in Wales will break up for the half term on Friday ahead of Easter the following weekend.
Mr Drakeford had suggested the ban would be lifted to allow travel for the half term holidays.
At the last review of restrictions he said he hoped to be able to lift the stay local rule from Saturday, March 27, and that self-contained holiday accommodation would be allowed to open in time for the Easter holidays.
