British guests could well be holidaying on the Croatian Adriatic this summer as the UK government plans talks on air bridges. According to a report in The Guardian British tourists could soon be sunning themselves on a Croatia beach, as British ministers are negotiating with Spain, Italy, Greece, France and Turkey, as well as Croatia.

Croatia has already fully opened its borders to ten European destinations but as the UK still has a relatively high Covid-19 infection rate it wasn’t included on this list.

British ministers are in talks with the leaders of six European countries in order to establish 'air bridges' for British tourists who want to spend their holidays. The idea is to allow Britons to go on holiday to countries with low prevalence of the infection and return home without going into quarantine.

Apparently Singapore, Australia and Bermuda were considered, but in the end Mediterranean countries were chosen as low distance destinations require transfers in countries where the epidemiological situation is much more serious.

Although the UK have expressed an interest in opening “air bridges” to Croatia there are no signs yet from the Croatian side. British tourists are extremely important to Croatia’s tourism industry, especially in Dubrovnik where they are the most numerous visitors, and if this “air bridge” project were to be allowed it would no doubt give a much needed shot in the arm to the country’s tourism industry.

The current 14-day quarantine regulation for people arriving in the UK is set to be reviewed on the 29th of June, although there is a possibility that an announcement could be made a few days before that date. The quarantine was proved extremely unpopular with the UK travel industry, airlines and with politicians from all parties. Indeed, it isn’t clear why the regulation was introduced, unless to motivate UK tourists to stay at home on holiday and therefore bolster the flagging economy.