Germany lifts travel warning for more than 80 countries

Germany is lifting its travel warning for more than 80 countries, in a move that some have questioned due to the spread of more transmissible strains of the coronavirus.

The government will no longer advise people against travelling abroad as of Thursday, and is lifting its warning against travel to areas classified as risky, including Turkey, and parts of Spain and Croatia popular among tourists.

Under the new guidance, the government's travel warning will only apply to 40 countries, either where variants are spreading rapidly, or with a seven-day incidence rate of 200 cases per 100,000 people over a week.

The step is controversial given the rapid spread of the delta variant, and most people in Germany disagree with the move, according to a recent study.

Some 48 per cent of the public called the move wrong, according to a dpa-commissioned survey carried out by opinion research institute YouGov.

Only 38 per cent of respondents backed the move, while 14 per cent did not respond.

Meanwhile there was a high level of support - 71 per cent - for the mandatory testing of all airline passengers landing in Germany.

Foreign Minister Heiko Maas defended the move on Tuesday, saying there was no reason to maintain restrictions in areas where the situation was improving.

However, the ministry retains a call for special caution in 30 countries. And it advises against travel to some regions within countries that are deemed high risk, including Andalusia in southern Spain and the Croatian coastal region of Zadar.

The government decided to restructure its travel guidance three weeks ago, before the delta variant had triggered debate over the issue.