Spain’s Balearic Islands will from 2022 limit the number of cruise ships which can dock in he port of Palma de Mallorca due to overtourism concerns. 

A maximum of 518 cruise ships will be allowed to stop in the Mediterranean port next year, compared to the 594 that docked there in 2019, the archipelago’s regional government said.

No more than three cruise ships will be allowed to dock on the same day, and only one of them can be a so-called “mega-cruise” ship with a capacity of over 5,000 passengers, it added.

Residents of Palma de Mallorca have long called for curbs on cruise ships, saying the sudden surges in tourist arrivals disrupt their lives and strain services.

Brussels is pushing to lift an “inefficient” travel ban on southern African states over the omicron variant, but European Union nations are reluctant to drop it, the EU’s commissioner for justice Didier Reynders told Reuters on Tuesday.

Reynders also said the European Commission was not in favour of measures adopted by seven EU governments that require vaccinated travellers from other EU nations to present a negative test, even if they have been vaccinated.

He added the measures appeared to be partly justified by fears over the spread of the omicron coronavirus variant, but that the executive Commission was still assessing whether they were proportionate and necessary.

Both France and Germany banned UK tourists from visiting in recent days due to omicron fears. While the UK has a higher Covid infection rate than the two European countries, due in part to the significantly larger amount of testing carried out, hospitalisation rates are highest in France.

As things stand, 31.5% of respondents in our poll believe face masks should become a permanent fixture on flights. Vote now if you haven’t already.

Local newspapers in Austria are reporting that UK tourists could face a 10-day quarantine on arrival as soon as Friday due to fears over the omicron variant. 

The Kronen Zeitung reported the Austrian government is looking to “classify Great Britain, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands as virus variant areas”.

A confirmation from the Ministry of Health is currently pending, said the newspaper.

The news is yet another blow to skiers who have already been banned from France. Though Austria was under full lockdown measures until last week, most ski resorts have reopened and hopes were high that the season could go ahead without further disruption.

Nearly 42,600 people in New York City tested positive for Covid between Wednesday and Saturday last week, compared with fewer than 35,800 for the entirety of November, AP reports.

Similarly to London, Covid rates in the Big Apple have surged in the past two weeks with a raft of Broadway shows forced to cancel performances and restaurants shutting amid staff shortages.

The European Commission has formally adopted a rule that limits the validity of the EU Covid certificate for international travel to nine months after a second dose of an approved vaccine, reports Reuters. 

The new rule will come into force for the 27 nations from February 1, an EU official said. It replaces a non-binding recommendation that was put forward by the commission last month.

From February, EU states will be obliged to grant entry to fully vaccinated travellers with a valid pass. However, they would still be permitted to impose restrictions such as tests and quarantine if the situation is seen as sufficiently serious. Countries will still be able to set their own rules for domestic passes.

No time limit has been set on booster jab passes because there is not yet enough information about the duration of protection from a third dose, the EU official said.

Catalonia is set to become the first Spanish region to reintroduce significant restrictions amid the spread of the omicron variant. 

The Catalan government is planning to impose a 1am to 6am nightly curfew and other social restrictions such as limiting gatherings to a maximum of 10 people.  Authorities are also seeking to close nightclubs and set capacity limits in restaurants and shops. 

If the measures are approved by a supreme court they could come into force as early as Friday (December 24) and would last for at a least 15 days. 

In this overlooked corner of France, some of Europe’s loveliest white wines run into Munster cheese, the whiff of which can clear a county, writes Anthony Peregrine.

So, it appears we have a brou-ha-ha over an alleged wine and cheese gathering in the garden of 10 Downing Street some 18 months ago. That this should take centre stage right now is heartening, indicating, as it does, that issues concerning the Russo-Ukraine border, the NHS, the Chinese, the Taliban or over-performing Australian batsmen are all less significant than we thought. A wine and cheese do is the issue. Terrific.

But to the detail: I’ve studied the photograph of the sip’n’nibble outrage and have to say I don’t see much cheese in evidence (though I’ll take the word of whichever miserable little sneak took the picture). Not a great deal of wine, either – one bottle between four, top-side. That’s not even two glasses per person.

Read on, here.

Airlines are facing a difficult two months due to passenger ‘no shows’ and government restrictions related to the omicron variant, an aviation boss has warned.

Eamonn Brennan, director general of European air navigation organisation Eurocontrol, said:

The next two months are going to be difficult. What everyone is hoping for now is Easter, not Christmas.

Everything was going stunningly. We expected to be at 82 per cent in December. Now we’re tracking at 74 per cent. But ‘no shows are about 20 per cent. People don’t want to take the risk of travel.”

Politicians are stuck in the headlights. It’s not popular to open up and then find there is more of the virus in the community, so politicians are risk averse. Christmas is a dead duck.

We’re looking at strict closedowns and Covid tests even when you have a vaccination certificate.

The best way to see the world’s most incredible creatures is from the water – quite often the animals even come to you, writes Mike Unwin.

Our Zodiac slapped over the waves towards the surf, scattering rafts of gaudy harlequin ducks. From the ship, the beach had appeared deserted, but a figure suddenly stood up among the boulders – a brown bear. I watched through unsteady binoculars as she dropped to all fours and took off across the beach, two cubs close behind. The trio scrambled up the cliffs and barrelled away inland, tiny figures eventually swallowed by the vastness. Beyond, the tundra and scree rose towards a jaw-dropping mountain panorama. This was serious wilderness. “Hold on,” our guide had shouted, and I braced myself for the breakers. 

This memorable experience, on the Chukotka coast in Russia’s Far East, was typical of numerous landings I have made during wildlife cruises around the world. While safari might be the obvious option for a wildlife holiday, for the dedicated watcher, only a ship gets you to those otherwise inaccessible places – uninhabited islands or peaceful shorelines. Here, far from human interference, you’ll find the likes of crowded fur-seal colonies, teeming seabird cliffs or rare reptiles. A cruise also allows you to seek out those special areas of the open ocean, from floating sea ice beloved of wandering polar bears, to nutrient-rich current convergences where whales and dolphins gather. What’s more, you only have to unpack once, don’t have to head up in any tiny planes or bump around on uncomfortable roads – and quite often, the animals come to you. 

Read the full story.

British arrivals in Hong Kong will be forced to quarantine in a government-run camp from today (December 21), as the UK moves to the city’s highest tier of restrictions.

Most travellers arriving in Hong Kong must submit to  21 days of hotel quarantine and frequent testing before being released. 

However, arrivals from countries deemed extremely high risk must initially stay in a basic state-run quarantine camp for four days before moving to a hotel to complete their isolation. 

The UK joins the US and 12 African countries on the list.  

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has ruled out a return to lockdown amid rising omicron cases in the country.

“We have got to get past the heavy hand of government and we have got to treat Australians like adults,” Morrison told reporters on Tuesday, urging regional authorities to shift from “a culture of mandates” when it comes Covid measures.

“We’re not going back to lockdowns. We’re going forward to live with this virus with common sense and responsibility, ” he added.

Anyone looking to travel abroad during the festive period will be required to take at least two tests when returning to the UK. Unfortunately, the Covid travel test marketplace can be highly confusing with misleading prices and unclear return times. 

To help, here’s our guide to the best pre-departure tests providers plus a selection of the quickest and easiest options for a Day 2 test. 

Poland now requires visitors from non-Schengen countries, including the UK, to show proof of a recent negative test to enter the country, regardless of vaccination status.

The test can be either a rapid lateral flow or a more costly PCR, but must be taken no longer than 24 hours before departure.

The FCDO travel advice pages suggest the test can also be taken on arrival. “You may be able to do the test at some airports on arrival no later than three hours after your arrival, please check the airport website before you travel.”

Unvaccinated travellers must also quarantine for 14 days. 

Dr Anthony Fauci, the White House’s chief medical advisor, yesterday suggested that face masks on planes may be needed indefinitely.

Asked in an interview whether he thought there would be a time that face masks on planes would not be needed, he replied: “I don’t think so.”

Dr Fauci added: “I think when you’re dealing with a closed space, even though the filtration is good, that you want to go that extra step.  

Do you agree with Dr Fauci? Vote in our poll, below. 

An airline boss has warned that air traffic in Asia Pacific remains lower than much of the world due to continuing draconian restrictions from governments in the region.

Subhas Menon, the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) director general, told a Capa Centre for Aviation webinar:

I wouldn’t say a recovery has started. We need China and India to open up.

In October, air traffic in Pacific Asia was 5 per cent of what it was in 2019. Compare that to North America, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America.

We see roadmaps to open up, but all of a sudden now we have Omicron. It boils down to what governments have done and to vaccine inequity.

In richer countries, 75 per cent of the population have been vaccinated. In poorer countries just 6 per cent or under have been vaccinated.

There is a lot of evidence of pent-up demand. Every time there is an opening or a travel corridor there is a surge in interest. What dampens it is not the virus, it’s the government response.

Most countries [in the region] have really been grounded for the last two years.

We are long past [calling for] the harmonisation of measures, but if they could just be streamlined [and] governments did not persist with knee jerk reactions.

New Zealand will delay the start of its tentative border reopening until the end of February amid fears over the omicron variant. 

The country had previously planned to restart quarantine-free travel for its citizens and residents in Australia by mid-January. Some foreign tourists were set to be allowed to travel from April.

The original timeline would have hassle-free allowed travel during New Zealand’s peak summer holdiays

When announcing the delay, the government’s Covid-19 response minister, Chris Hipkins, said:

“There’s no doubt this is disappointing and will upset many holiday plans, but it’s important to set these changes out clearly today so they can have time to consider those plans.” 

More rail companies have warned of delays and cancellations due to Covid-related staff shortages. 

CrossCountry said it is “expecting widespread disruption to our services this week”.

It went on: “Please pull your journey forward to sooner rather than later to get to your end destination as early as possible.”

Cancellations have been made on several of its routes, including Manchester to Bournemouth via Birmingham; Bristol to Paignton, Devon; Cardiff to Nottingham; and Birmingham to Stansted Airport.

Govia Thameslink Railway said a train crew shortage means there will be a reduced service across the Southern, Thameslink and Great Northern network until the end of the day on Christmas Eve.

Greater Anglia said it has removed trains from its timetables due to falling passenger numbers “as people follow advice to work from home”.

It added: “We also have to plan for our staff being affected by the omicron variant, especially as we’re already starting to see the early signs of its impact, to ensure we can continue to provide a reliable service.”

President Joe Biden has no intentions of “locking the country down” despite a surge in Covid-19 cases in the US, the White House has said.

The omicron variant now makes up 70 per cent of cases in America, according to an analysis by the CDC, but Mr Biden, in a speech he is to deliver on Tuesday, will not announce any new measures, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.

“This is not a speech about locking the country down,” Ms Psaki told reporters. “This is a speech outlining and being direct and clear with the American people about the benefits of being vaccinated.”

Read more on our Covid live blog.

Trafalgar Square’s New Year’s Eve celebration has been called off “in the interests of public safety,” Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced.

The event will be replaced with live broadcast celebrating the capital and its “defining moments of 2021”. 

Mr Khan said:

This will be very disappointing for many Londoners, but we must take the right steps to reduce the spread of the virus.

I’m proud that we will still have an incredible broadcast spectacular to watch on our screens, which will showcase our great city to the rest of the world.

British Airways has suspended all flights to Bangkok until October 2022, in signs that confidence in travel to Asia remains low. 

The carrier has also cancelled its flights to Hong Kong until March 2022, after it was announced that UK arrivals, including cabin crew,  must quarantine in a government-run centre.  

In a statement the airline said:

We apologise to customers whose travel plans are disrupted. Where a customer’s flight is cancelled, we always contact them to offer options including a full refund. Customers who are unable to travel, or choose not to, can also continue to change their flights or request a voucher for future use as part of our Book with Confidence policy, which has been available since the beginning of the pandemic.

A luxury beach resort on an Indian Ocean island quickly became a ‘tropical Alcatraz’ after a Covid test came back positive, writes Tamara Abraham.

I am writing this on the deck of my Maldives beach villa, looking out at pristine white sand fringed with palm trees and turquoise sea. It is idyllic, exactly what I hoped for when we booked a last-minute package break earlier this month with my parents, as well as my sister and her family.

There is a catch though. I’m not allowed to leave. No sunbathing on the sand, no swimming in the sea, and definitely no wandering along the beach. A Maldives Health Protection Agency (HPA) official patrols the area with a clipboard to check. We had been due to fly home on Saturday, refreshed, restored and ready for a busy Christmas period during which we would be juggling work and family commitments, but after my mother tested positive for Covid in her pre-departure PCR (actually, my father was summoned and informed of her results; gender equality still has some way to go here), we were all put into compulsory quarantine ‘because we share a booking reference number’. 

Read the full story.

Reuters reports that Thailand will reinstate its mandatory quarantine period for foreign visitors from Tuesday.

A government spokeswoman said the measure will return due to concerns over the spread of the omicron variant.

It has not been confirmed whether Thailand will revert to its ‘sandbox’ scheme, where visitors could visit certain areas of the country, such as the island of Phuket, without the need to isolate.

Thailand has only been open for quarantine-free travel since November.

Like the Delta variant before it, Omicron was allowed to enter the UK and freely circulate. But since the start of the pandemic, Taiwan has been spared from a devastating Covid-19 death toll through pursuing a “zero Covid” strategy with tight border controls and 14-day quarantines.

Taiwan’s first line of defence begins at Taoyuan International Airport – which handled 46.5 million passengers in 2018, making it the world’s 11th busiest airport.

When Pieter Funnekotter, a Canadian businessman, landed there in November, returning from a work trip to Nigeria and India, he said the corridors were deserted.

Passengers were first met on the jet bridge by officials in PPE who separated people from Taiwan’s “red list” of high-risk countries, which until recently included the UK, to be shepherded to government quarantine centres.

Others continued as normal to the first of several document checks before immigration where everyone is required to provide a working mobile phone for the authorities to carry out quarantine health checks. Sim cards can be purchased and phones rented out.

Read on, here. 

Kuwait will require arriving travellers to have had a Covid booster jab if more than nine months have passed since their second dose of a vaccine, reports Reuters.

Kuwait will also all require incoming travellers to quarantine at home until they receive a negative PCR test result.

Other countries to take into account booster doses include Austria, which requires travellers who have not received a third jab to take a Covid test.

Reports have emerged that from today Qatar Airways cabin crew will wear full PPE on board flights due to fears over the highly contagious omicron variant.

A recap of yesterday’s top stories:

• Thailand considers ending quarantine-free travel
• Germany bans UK arrivals and plans to limit social gatherings after Christmas
• Switzerland tightens restrictions on unvaccinated
• Greece’s new testing rules come into force
• Italy considers increased measures amid omicron fears ​
• Natural History Museum closes due to Covid-19

Now, on with today’s travel news.