The countries which will pay you to visit them after lockdown

Including Cyprus and Japan

A number of countries are luring tourists in to visit by offering free hotels and subsidies towards travel for after the lockdown.

Countries like Japan and Cyprus are launching offers to try and entice holidaymakers in a bid to kick-start tourism industries, reports Birmingham Live.

The moves from countries - including UK staycation hotspots - come as the tourism and leisure sectors take a battering in the lockdown.

Borders have been shut across the country but now a string of airlines - Ryanair, Jet2, British Airways, TUI and easyJet are planning to restart flights.

Bristol Airport, which has been eerily quiet for weeks, will have life breathed into it in the coming weeks.

But where can you travel to - and get money and incentives to do so? We've taken a look.

Cyprus

Cyprus is pledging to cover costs for anyone who might end up testing positive for the coronavirus while vacationing in the east Mediterranean island nation.

The Cypriot government says it will cover lodging, food, drink and medication for Covid-19 patients and their families. Patients will only have to pay for the taxi ride to the airport and the flight back home.

A 100-bed hospital will cater exclusively to foreign travellers who test positive. Some 112 intensive care units equipped with 200 respirators will be reserved for critically ill patients.

A 500-room "quarantine-hotel" will host exclusively patients' family members and other close contacts.

The pledge came in a five-page letter sent to governments, airlines and tour operators outlining strict health and hygiene protocols that Cyprus is enacting to woo visitors to the tourism-reliant country.

Sicily

The island, off the coast of Italy, will pay holidaymakers up to half of the cost of their flights.

The destination will also give them a free night of stay in the hotspot.

Museums have also pledged to start operating with free entry.

Japan

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said the swift development of vaccines and effective treatments for Covid-19 are priorities towards achieving the Tokyo Olympics next year.

Mr Abe said recovery from the coronavirus pandemic only in Japan would not be enough to hold the Games, because it involves spectators and athletes from around the world.

He reiterated the government hopes to hold the Tokyo Games "in a complete form" - with spectators - as a proof of human victory against coronavirus.

In late March, when coronavirus became a global pandemic, Japan and the International Olympic Committee agreed to postpone the Games by one year to July 2021.

Experts say developing an effective and safe vaccine by the Games next year would be difficult. Mr Abe acknowledged that the fight against the virus "would be an endurance battle".

The country has set aside £10.2bn to kick start its tourism industry, providing subsidies to travellers.

Mexico

If you fancy a trip to Cancun, a hugely popular holiday resort in Central America, then you're in luck.

One measure being introduced by hotels in the resort is a new 'two for one' offer, giving you a free night in the hotel if you pay for two.

Bulgaria

Expect free sun loungers, sun beds and tables at beach spots as Bulgaria looks to kick-start its tourism sector after the lockdown.

UK

The UK's tourism industry has taken a battering amid the coronavirus crisis - but staycation holidays could return within weeks.

It depends on the rate of coronavirus transmission being kept down, however.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: "I would love to get the tourism sector up as quickly as we possibly can. We've set this very ambitious plan to try and get it up and running by the beginning of July.

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"Clearly, we can only do it if it's safe to do so because I think the worst thing for our tourism sector would be to start, then see the R rate rise out of control, see a second peak that overwhelms the NHS that we then have to slam on the brakes again."

He said: "Believe me, when we get to the point when we can have British tourism back, perhaps apart from the Prime Minister you won't get a bigger champion of the great British break than me."

Patricia Yates, VisitBritain's acting CEO told The Sun that financial incentives are being considered in order to persuade Brits to enjoy the tourism opportunities at home.