UNWTO has welcomed the end of the public health emergency phase for COVID-19 with a summary analysis of the travel restrictions introduced in response to the pandemic. The decision by the World Health Organization (WHO) to determine that COVID-19 is now an established and ongoing health issue which no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern represents a major milestone in the global effort to combat the virus. In this context, UNWTO has released its analysis of both the introduction and lifting of travel restrictions during all stages of the pandemic´s emergency phase. "The end of COVID-19 travel restrictions: Summary of findings from the COVID-19 related travel restrictions reports", highlights key findings of the 11 reports published by the United Nation...
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Attila Knott has an empty clinic that he had planned to open as a dental hospital in Hungary in March of 2020. But the foreigners with bad teeth he had expected to treat then were deterred by COVID-19. The high cost of travel and economic uncertainty have emerged as concerns for some potential patients since travel restrictions were lifted, he said. The global medical tourism industry, a beneficiary of low-cost travel and open borders, is struggling to recover from the hit it took during the pandemic, operators and analysts say. "People are more cautious," Knott told Reuters, staring at the empty building across the street from his existing Kreativ Dental clinic. "They think twice about spending big money all at once on something like dental treatment." A British patient Bob M...
Read MoreHong Kong is scrapping some of its last remaining Covid restrictions following China’s rapid shift away from the zero-tolerance approach. A drastic change of entry rules will be followed as of Wednesday, December 14. Health Secretary Lo Chung-mau told a news conference Tuesday that travelers arriving in the city would no longer be issued an “amber code” barring them from entering restaurants and bars during their first three days. The government will lift a ban on international arrivals going to bars or eating at restaurants, and stop requiring people to scan a QR code on their phones to enter venues, Chief Executive John Lee said at a press conference Tuesday. Some venues will still need proof of vaccination upon entry, he said, without mentioning whether the government intends to ...
Read MorePlans massive Asia-Pacific expansion as travel restrictions ease Radisson Hotel Group plans to add 150 hotels in Asia-Pacific this year as it banks on travel, tourism, and economic recovery in the region, its CEO said on Thursday. Radisson, one of the world's largest hotel groups, is in the midst of a five-year plan to double its properties to 3,200 hotels in 120 countries by 2025. "Overall, Asia plays a significant role in our business plans because of the significant presence that we can build in the future," Radisson CEO Federico Gonzalez told reporters. Radisson last year signed deals to put up 200 hotels worldwide, of which 137 are in Asia-Pacific. It takes three to five years for hotel deals to reach operation stage. Radisson sees its China and India portfolios in...
Read MoreACI EUROPE (Airports Council International) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) have called for all remaining COVID restrictions applying to intra-EU and Schengen area travel to be dropped, including all testing requirements, the need to present proof of vaccination, or complete a Passenger Locator Form (PLF). This includes dropping mask-wearing for travel within or between States where it is no longer required in other indoor environments. COVID-19, and specifically the Omicron variant, is now pervasive throughout all of Europe, and population immunity is at such levels that the risk of hospitalization or death has dramatically reduced, especially for vaccinated people. States are adopting surveillance strategies to ensure public health, in the same way as they do f...
Read MoreThe World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have called for the lifting of travel bans as they do not provide added value and continue to contribute to economic and social stress. The two UN agencies agreed to collaborate on a global trust architecture for recovery of the travel sector. Over recent days, a growing number of countries around the world have started easing their rules for international arrivals, including the easing of travel bans. These decisions are in line with WHO’s latest recommendations for safe international mobility, which highlight the ineffectiveness of blanket restrictions in controlling virus transmissions. Such a trend is also consistent with UNWTO’s repeated warnings of the great social, economic and development harm of res...
Read MoreMomentum toward normalizing traffic is growing. Vaccinated travelers have the potential to travel much more extensively with fewer hassles than even a few weeks ago. This is giving growing numbers of travelers the confidence to buy tickets. And that is good news! The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released data showing growing momentum in the recovery of air travel as restrictions are lifted. Improved Ticket Sales IATA reported a sharp 11-percentage point increase for international tickets sold in recent weeks (in proportion to 2019 sales). In the period around 8 February (7 day moving average) the number of tickets sold stood at 49% of the same period in 2019.In the period around 25 January (7 day moving average) the number of tickets sold stood at 38%...
Read MoreSingapore will expand quarantine-free travel to Hong Kong, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates this month, its health ministry said on Wednesday, resuming border reopening after a pause due to an outbreak of the coronavirus. The city-state will also restore and increase quotas under its vaccinated travel programme, which had been reduced in December to deal with the Omicron variant. Singapore will streamline border measures for all travellers, and remove an entry approval requirement for eligible residents who are long-term pass holders, the ministry said, making it easier for expatriates to travel. FILE PHOTO: A Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) bus plies the causeway between Singapore and Malaysia, as it reopens after nearly two years amidst the coronavirus disease (COV...
Read MoreMajor new research from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has revealed the global Travel & Tourism sector’s contribution to the global economy could reach $8.6 trillion this year, just 6.4% behind pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, before the pandemic stopped travel in its tracks, the Travel & Tourism sector generated nearly $9.2 trillion to the global economy. However, in 2020, the pandemic brought the sector to an almost complete standstill, causing a massive 49.1% drop, representing a severe loss of nearly $4.5 trillion. Latest research from WTTC shows that as the world finally begins to recover from pandemic, the sector’s contribution to both the global economy and employment could reach almost pre-pandemic levels this year. Research by the global touris...
Read MoreQuoting a new research call to lift all restrictions on vaccinated or recovered travellers ACI EUROPE (Airports Council International) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) urged European Governments to lift all travel restrictions for fully vaccinated/recovered individuals holding a valid Covid Certificate – as advised by the new regime for travel within the EU which comes into force on Tuesday. This new regime, set out by an EU Council Recommendation adopted on 25 January, is based on the health status of travellers, rather than the epidemiological situation of their country or area of origin. Independent research (see link in notes below) conducted in Finland and Italy provides insight into developing a Europe-wide policy for removing restrictions. The res...
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