The UK government is seeking to agree travel corridors or “air bridges” with European countries with low infection rates, so travellers can avoid quarantine requirements.

At present, people arriving in the UK, including Britons returning home, must quarantine for 14 days.

Greek Tourism Minister Haris Theoharis says he hopes an announcement “in the next few days” will allow tourists to travel freely between the UK and Greece from 1 July, as the popular holiday destination eases its border restrictions.

He told the BBC: “Greece is a safe country. We’ve proven that during this crisis and we feel that the risk of someone contracting the disease in Greece is much lower than in the rest of Europe and indeed the rest of the world.

“In the first few days that we have opened our borders we have had very few cases being imported to our country so this is a welcome sign, a good sign that we are not unduly increasing the risk."

An employee wearing a visor walks at a beach bar near Paliouri on Halkidiki Peninsula, Greece