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* Summer holiday abroad? Too early to know, UK says
* UK to have traffic light system for travel
* International travel will not start before May 17
* England's economy to start to reopen from April 12
(Recasts headline and lead)
By Kate Holton and Alistair Smout
LONDON, April 5 (Reuters) - Britain said on Monday it was
too soon to say whether or not international summer holidays
could go ahead this year, suggesting a planned reopening of
outbound travel could be pushed back beyond May 17.
Britons are among the highest spending tourists in Europe so
the fortunes of the continent's summer season and the desperate
travel industry will depend on when tourists can return to the
beaches, cafes and tavernas of southern Europe.
Britain plans to use a traffic-light risk system for
countries once non-essential international travel resumes but
the government said it was too soon to say which countries could
be given the green light that would only require testing before
and after travel.
"Taking into account the latest situation with variants and
the evidence about the efficacy of vaccines against them, we
will confirm in advance whether non-essential international
travel can resume on 17 May, or whether we will need to wait
longer before lifting the outbound travel restriction," a
government review said.
British media suggested countries on the green list,
requiring only testing before and after travel, could include
Portugal, Malta, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and the United
States.
Under the original plan, international travel would not
resume until May 17 at the earliest. Countries on the amber list
would require self-isolation. Those on the red list would
require quarantine.
Airlines such as easyJet, Ryanair and
British Airways, plus holiday groups such as TUI
, hope to avoid a second lost summer but COVID-19
cases have risen in continental Europe.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said a planned
reopening of the economy could take place next week, with the
opening of all shops, gyms, hairdressers and outdoor hospitality
areas in England.
With the vaccine programme rolling out rapidly across the UK
and infection numbers falling, Johnson said England could
proceed to Stage 2 of his roadmap out of lockdown from April 12.
He said people should continue to work from home where they
can and minimise domestic travel. He also confirmed that the
government was looking at a COVID-status certification system,
or vaccine passport, to help reopen larger events.
(Editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
