Britons will no longer be advised to avoid holidays to Ghana and 31 destinations, including Bangladesh, Fiji, Gambia and Malaysia, the Foreign Office has said.

The change should make it easier for people visiting these locations to obtain travel insurance. 

These destinations were not on the government's red list, but the Foreign Office had still warned against non-essential travel to them due to Covid.

Earlier this week, travel rules in the UK were simplified.

The Foreign Office said this latest change in policy followed the "improved public health in many countries" and the "decreased risk to British nationals" as a result of the vaccine rollout.

The advice would apply except in "exceptional circumstances", such as if the local healthcare system was overwhelmed, it added.

When the Foreign Office advises against travel to a country, all but a handful of travel insurance policies are invalid.

It will continue to advise against all but essential travel for all red list countries where the risk to British nationals is deemed to be "unacceptably high".

The government is also expected to announce on Thursday changes to the red list. There are currently 54 destinations on the list, including Mexico, Cuba, all of mainland South America, and southern and eastern Africa.