SCOTTISH holidaymakers who missed out on their summer breaks because of Covid-19 will be digging out their suitcases and their suncream as restrictions on travel to the Canaries are lifted this week.

The Canaries, Mykonos and the high-end Maldives have all been placed on the UK exempt list – meaning there will be no need for self-isolating for holidaymakers on their return to Scotland.

The Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association responded positively to the announcement, with president Joanne Dooey saying: “At last, a piece of positive news for the travel industry as some key countries for leisure travel are added to the safe list.

“But it remains to be seen if this move which is very welcome has come in time to save jobs and businesses in travel.”

Scottish travel has been hit particularly hard by the removal of Spain and its islands – its biggest overseas market – from the UK exempt list in midsummer.

There have been calls to make a special case for the islands because of their distance from the Spanish mainland.

Westminster and Holyrood initially rejected the appeal but have relented recently in relation to some individual Greek islands, with Mykonos now added to the exempt list.

It is the Canaries though which is the major prize for the travel sector and boon for our holidaymakers.

Dooey added: ‘‘The Canaries in particular are a hugely important destination for Scots’ holidays. With Mykonos also back on the safe list, along with the Maldives, this gives travellers the chance to travel to catch some winter sun.

“It shouldn’t be forgotten that there is a group of Scots who own holiday homes in the Canaries who will now be able to travel to and from their second homes without quarantine.’’

Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, the UK’s largest operator to the Canaries, will recommence flights and holidays to Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura from Friday from Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Jet2 boss Steve Heapy said: “We welcome the announcement and we know that our customers, who want to get flying again, will do so too.

“For some time we have been calling for a proportionate, evidence-based approach for safe travel and this is very much a step in the right direction.

“The Canary Islands are hugely important, both for us as a business and for our customers as a much-loved holiday favourite.

“We know how much our customers want to get away for some winter sun in the Canaries, and they can do this again from October 30 onwards.’’

His views were echoed by TUI, with managing director Andrew Flintham saying: “We haven’t been able to take people on a TUI holiday to the Canary Islands for 89 days after the sudden quarantine and subsequent travel advice was imposed with little notice.

“We urge the Government to continue to work closely with the industry on airport testing so we can open up more destinations in the coming weeks.”

One of the biggest figures in the hotel world, Sir Rocco Forte, has been lobbying the UK Government for movement on airport testing in UK Airports.

Heathrow Airport announced last week that passengers flying from Heathrow to Hong Kong on Tuesday will be the first to have the option of paying for an £80 Covid test with a result guaranteed with an hour.

When The Sunday National asked Sir Rocco if he had been lobbying the Scottish Government to introduce airport testing in Scotland he said: “The First Minister is determined to make things more draconic in Scotland than in the rest of the UK. I’m not very confident she would listen.”