The price of staying in a UK quarantine hotel could soon pass £2,000, it has been announced.
Travellers returning from ‘red list countries’ currently pay £1,750 per person and this includes two PCR Covid tests, transport from the airport to the hotel, and all their meals.
However, ministers are reportedly considering hiking the price up another £500 to £2,250 in a bid to deter people from making ‘unnecessary trips’ to high-risk countries.
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Ministers are also said to be frustrated that the taxpayer is currently subsidising the high cost.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps insisted people ‘should not’ be travelling to red list countries unless it was under extreme circumstances.
However, in a report issued by the Telegraph they found that around 30,000 people had stayed in government approved hotels for quarantining due to their high-risk trips.
Mr Shapps also said yesterday the government does not make a profit from the scheme.
Currently 60 countries are on the red list, after Cuba, Indonesia, Myanmar and Sierra Leone were the latest additions following the most recent review this month.
The CEO of travel consultancy, The PC Agency, has criticised the plans and said the price hike would make it more unaffordable for people.
He told The Telegraph: “The number testing positive in hotels is tiny. The principle of quarantine is a relic of earlier days.
“It would be better for the Government to replace it with testing on arrival.”
The next review of the destination list is expected on August 4th.
