Travel restrictions are easing and countries are starting to open up.
Airlines and airports are doing their level best to boost people’s confidence that airplanes are indeed safe. In addition, we see aggressiveness on the part of some airlines in trying to create the demand for travel by reducing prices significantly. Deals for hotels and resorts are plenty.
What happened you may ask? It is not only the airlines and the airports but most importantly, different countries who have realized that tourism is the backbone of their economy and have taken action to ensure that they open up their economies in time to take advantage of all the summer travel.
Let’s take a closer look at the countries that have lifted and/or are in the process of lifting their restrictions.
Domestic activities resumption
Portugal reopened its beaches for locals on May 23, 2020
India resumed domestic flights on May 25, 2020
Greece reopened island ferries on May 25, 2020
Russia will allow domestic tourism as of June 1, 2020
Thailand resumes domestic tourism on June 1, 2020
Transit flights resumption
Dubai International airport will allow transit flights on May 27, 2020
Hong Kong airport resumes transit flights by June 1, 2020
Singapore’s Changi airport to resume transit flights on June 2, 2020
Airline resumption
Korean Air resumes some international flights on June 1, 2020
Alitalia to fly to southern Italy and the US from June 2, 2020
Air France – KLM to expand capacity by June 15, 2020
Lufthansa resumes flights to 20 European destinations by June 15, 2020
Turkey to gradually resume international travel in June 2020
Vietnam Airlines resumes international flights in June 2020
Qatar Airways is set to resume flights to 80 destinations in Summer
Travel bubbles
Denmark is allowing travelers from Germany and Scandinavian countries to visit starting from May 26, 2020, so long as they present adequate proof to justify that they need to visit.
New South Wales – Australia resumes regional travel on June 1, 2020
Montenegro will reopen its borders to countries that meet specific criteria from June 1, 2020
Italy will open to EU tourism without quarantine by June 4, 2020
Norway relaxes travel for Denmark, Sweden, Iceland and Finland by June 15, 2020
Austria relaxes travel with the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary by June 15, 2020
Germany will lift restrictions for thirty-one European countries from June 15, 2020
Cyprus to reopen Airports for tourists from twenty countries starting from June 20, 2020
Open Borders
Albania will open its borders on May 31, 2020
It is worth noting that Cyprus has committed to cover all the costs for any person who tested positive for the virus while on vacation in Cyprus. The Turkish government has also developed a certification program consisting of 132 criteria for hotels and restaurants to ease people’s concern prior to opening up.
Beach spots may need to be reserved, masks may be required and social distancing will be in place but it seems that hope for better times has set in InshaAllah.
Source: Skift, USA Today
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