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Leisure travel within (and beyond) the UK has been illegal since the third lockdown began in early January.
After the prime minister set out some of the steps out of lockdown for England, this is what we know about when holidays in the four nations will be permitted.
When might I be able to go on a day trip?
The “stay at home” rule for England has ended, replaced as of 29 March by the guidance to “stay local”.
It is not yet known how this will be defined: does travelling 20 miles to a country park, or 50 miles to a beach, count as local?
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Since it is guidance there is no legal maximum, but the government says: “People should continue to minimise travel wherever possible.”
The first minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, lifted the stay-at-home rule even earlier, from 13 March, allowing day trips within Wales but not cross-border journeys to and from England.
The “stay ay home” rules in Northern Ireland will continue in force until at least 12 April 2021.
The “stay at home” requirement will be replaced with a “stay local” message in Scotland from 2 April.
What about staying overnight?
A distinction will be drawn between self-contained accommodation – second homes, self-catering cottages and caravans – and places to stay where facilities and space are shared.
In England, self-contained accommodation will open from 12 April – for household lets occupied by a single family.
Overnight stays away from home in England will be permitted and self-contained accommodation can also reopen.
However, these must only be used by members of the same household or support bubble, the government said.
Read more: Lockdown roadmap: What is reopening and when?
The reopening of self-contained accommodation coincides uncannily with a return to school for many children in England.
The mainstream accommodation sector – including hotels, hostels and holiday parks that are based on communal areas such as pools – is expected to open on 17 May.
Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has confirmed that, from 26 April, tourist accommodation is slated to reopen and travel within all of mainland Scotland will be permitted.
Mark Drakeford has kickstarted domestic tourism earlier than the other devolved nations, with self-contained holiday accommodation allowed to reopen, and unrestricted travel within Wales permitted to resume, from 27 March.
The Northern Ireland Executive published its “pathway-to-recovery” plan on 1 March, but didn’t include specific details about when travel and tourism might restart.
How are big UK holiday companies responding?
Center Parcs’ five holiday villages plan to reopen on 12 April.
Forest Holidays says some of its locations will reopen on 12 April.
Haven plans to reopen its caravan parks on 12 April.
Butlins, which has three English holiday parks – at Bognor Regis, Minehead and Skegness – will reopen on 17 May.
All these companies will give full refunds if the holiday is not able to go ahead. They are also offering very flexible terms on future bookings.
What about a cruise around the UK and Ireland?
These are proving popular in advance bookings, because customers seem to regard them as being less risky, and they also reduce the interference of foreign travel regulations.
In March, the maritime minister, Robert Courts, announced that domestic cruising could begin in the UK from 17 March.
Saga has a 14-night British Isles cruise departing Dover on 20 May, taking in Guernsey and Ireland as well as England, Northern Ireland and Scotland, but this is open only to people who have been vaccinated with both doses at least two weeks before boarding.
P&O and Princess Cruises have launched “staycation” voyages around the UK from 17 May.
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