Even as vaccination drives gain momentum in some countries, a significant portion of the globe remains off-limits to foreign visitors. According to a recent study by the United Nations World Tourism Organization, one-third of destinations are still closed, with just over half of them being closed for more than 40 weeks.
The UNWTO Report on Travel Restrictions provides a detailed description of the legislation in force in 217 destinations around the world. Although previous editions showed a trend towards softening or eliminating travel restrictions, the current report shows that policymakers are taking a more cautious approach due to the ongoing severity of the epidemiological situation.
Another 34% of destinations are still partly closed, 32% need testing or quarantine, and only 2% have had their restrictions lifted. According to the survey, 30 of the 69 countries that have fully closed their borders are in Asia/Pacific, 15 in Europe, 11 in Africa, 10 in the Americas, and three in the Middle East.
At the same time, the UNWTO research shows that enforcing travel restrictions is becoming more complex, evidence-based, and risk-based. A the number of destinations around the world now require foreign visitors to present a negative PCR or antigen test and provide contact information for tracing purposes upon arrival. Indeed, 32% of all foreign destinations now require the presentation of such tests as a primary requirement for international arrivals, often in combination with quarantine, while the remaining 32% consider tests to be a secondary or tertiary step.
The most important tourism markets are still cautious.
The Travel Restrictions Study states how various governments are providing advice to their own people as the UNWTO leads the way in reviving tourism. According to a study of the top ten tourism source markets that are currently recommending against non-essential travel abroad, they accounted for 44% of all foreign arrivals in 2018. Government guidance, according to the UNWTO, will be important in the restart and recovery of tourism in the coming weeks and months.
