All entrants into the UK will have to take a PCR test by the end of the second day of their arrivals, and self-isolate while they wait for the result. Spain and Switzerland have also tightened their entry rules, while Japan will bin all international visitors this week.

Travel industry leaders have been quick to express their fears about the damage new restrictions will have on consumer confidence, while the president of South Africa – the country where the Omicron variant was first identified – has labelled travel bans on his country as “unjustified”.

British Airways has also suspended flights to Hong Kong after a crew member tested positive for Covid-19.

Here are all the key headlines travel woke up to on the morning of Monday (29 November).

Omicron sparks flurry of travel restrictions around the globe

Countries were racing to contain the Omicron variant of Covid-19 by restricting travel and imposing new quarantine measures as new infections were detected across the world, including three cases identified in the UK. People arriving in the UK will have to take a PCR test within two days of their arrival and self-isolate until they receive a negative result. (Financial Times)

Travel firms scramble to rearrange holidays amid new Covid measures

Tour operators are scrambling to rearrange skiing holidays to Switzerland after the country joined Spain in tightening travel restrictions, due to the spread of the Omicron variant. Switzerland is imposing a 10-day quarantine for all visitors, while Spain will only allow entry to UK arrivals if they can show proof of vaccination. (The Guardian)

Japan bans foreigners as nations tighten restrictions on travellers

Japan will close its border to all foreign travellers from Tuesday (30 November) to try to slow the spread of the Omicron variant. The country is restoring border controls that were only lifted earlier this month for business travellers, workers and students. (Sky News)

Boosters for every adult in bid to save Christmas

Millions more people are to be offered booster Covid jabs to maximise protection against the Omicron variant. Health secretary Sajid Javid said people should continue with their festive plans as normal and the government was “nowhere near” imposing further restrictions. (The Times)

Testing for arrivals to UK ‘huge blow’ to travel industry

The introduction of compulsory PCR tests for everybody arriving in the UK has been described as a “huge blow” for the travel industry. Abta said the move by the UK government would “impact consumer demand and hold back the industry’s recovery”. (Evening Standard)

BA suspends Hong Kong flights as crew taken to quarantine ‘camp’

British Airways has suspended flights to Hong Kong after a crew member tested positive for Covid, amid reports that aircraft crew are being made to isolate for three weeks at a quarantine centre. BA said a member of staff tested positive on arrival in the city after first testing negative pre-departure. (The Independent)

South African president calls for lifting of travel bans

South Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned travel bans imposed on his country and its neighbours over Omicron. Ramaphosa said he was "deeply disappointed" by the action, taken by the UK, EU and other countries, which he described as “unjustified” and called for the bans to be urgently lifted. (BBC News)

Dutch police arrest couple ‘fleeing’ Omicron quarantine hotel

Dutch police have arrested a couple who "fled" an Omicron quarantine hotel and boarded a flight due to leave the Netherlands. The couple were arrested on an aircraft at Schiphol airport after leaving a hotel where passengers from South Africa were being quarantined after being testing positive for Covid-19. (The Daily Mail)