Portugal has been removed from the government’s “red list” of nations from which travel is severely restricted.
Mauritius has also been removed.
However, four other countries have been added: Ethiopia, Oman, Somalia and Qatar.
Portugal’s removal comes exactly two months after it was placed on the high-risk list and a month after mandatory hotel quarantine was imposed on any arrivals from the southern European country to the UK.
The announcement has raised hopes that British holidaymakers may be able to visit Portugal from 17 May. That is the earliest possible date on which the UK might lift the current ban on international journeys.
A limited number of flights between the UK and the key Portuguese airports of Lisbon and Faro are likely to resume shortly.
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It had the unfortunate status of being the only European nation on the high-risk list of countries. Portugal was included because of the nation’s strong links with Brazil – source of a coronavirus “variant of concern”.
But case numbers in Portugal have fallen swiftly. The rate of new Covid infections is currently about one-sixth lower than in the UK.
For almost all of the past year, the UK has applied travel restrictions to arrivals from mainland Portugal, but red list rules are particularly draconian.
People with the right to reside in the United Kingdom are able to travel back from red list countries, but because of a ban on planes taking passengers to the UK they must make circuitous journeys – increasing the risk of infections to themselves and the people they encounter on the journey.
On arrival in England they must undergo hotel quarantine for 11 nights, at a cost for a solo traveller of £1,750.
Despite today’s relaxation of rules for new arrivals, anyone who has travelled from Portugal in the past 10 days will be expected to complete their mandatory hotel stay.
The Portuguese tourism secretary, Rita Marques, told LBC Radio that the country will use its presidency of the European Council to promote an EU-wide digital certificate for travel.
But an increasing number of nations say they will welcome British holidaymakers regardless of their status in terms of vaccination, testing or recovery from Covid.
