A guide to the travel status of some countries around the world, and their timelines out of coronavirus lockdown
It’s not time to dust down the passport just yet - but some countries are gradually beginning to unshackle themselves from lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic, as a travel tips website has revealed.
The Points Guy UK has compiled a guide to the international travel status of countries around the world and reports that ‘while very few countries are open to tourism right now, the good news is that some are providing timelines on when travel might again be possible’.
Below are some of the key global findings...
NORTH AMERICA The US State Department advises against any international travel America ‘Some states reopening,’ says are The slowly Points
Guy UK, ‘but most are still not welcoming tourists. In fact, Maine and Hawaii both have strict 14-day quarantine requirements in place for all out-of-state visitors.’
The site also points out that the CDC ‘has a strong warning against any nonessential travel within the United States’ and that ‘the US State Department also advises against any international travel’. Canada The Points Guy UK says: ‘Canada remains in lockdown and the border between the United States and Canada is closed. Canada has also banned provinceto-province travel, putting the summer tourism season in places like Ontario in jeopardy.’ All visitors, it adds, must undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine upon arrival. When that will be lifted is not yet clear. Mexico The Points Guy UK explains that some Mexican states, including Quintana Roo — home to the tourist mecca of Cancun — plan on reopening on June 1 and that the country’s president said tourism is among several critical industries that could begin reopening by May 17.
SOUTH AMERICA Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro denies the need for quarantine restrictions in Brazil
Brazil has the most coronavirus cases in South America - over 128,000, the site says. A travel ban on foreigners was extended through May 28 in late April, though there are some exceptions.
The Points Guy UK adds: ‘The government has not officially imposed any quarantine restrictions and President Jair Bolsonaro denies the need for them, insisting that only the elderly and other high-risk populations should stay home.’ Argentina Argentina has one of the world’s strictest travel bans, reveals The Points Guy UK, restricting all international commercial flights until September 1, 2020.
CARIBBEAN Every single nation in the Caribbean has closed its airports for the time being, The Points Guy UK reports. Cuba Cuba has suspended international travel for tourists until further notice. Jamaica All airports and seaports have been closed for inbound international passengers through May 31, the site reports.
ASIA India ‘India announced back in March that it was no longer allowing foreigners into the country,’ says TPG. ‘A suspension of international flights has been lifted, but only for humanitarian or essential travel.’ China China, ground zero for the outbreak, is not welcoming tourists from outside the country and there is no timeline when that might change, writes TPG UK. It adds: ‘China is allowing South Koreans to travel to some Chinese cities on business, but strict measures are in place to make sure outbreaks don’t spread.’ Hong Kong The Points Guy UK writes: ‘As of March 25, all non-Hong Kong residents arriving by plane will be denied entry, including into the airport facilities, until further notice. All non-Hong Kong residents coming from mainland
China, Macau and Taiwan will be subject to a 14-day compulsory quarantine after entering Hong Kong, but entry will be denied if the non-Hong Kong resident has travelled to any overseas countries or regions in the 14 days prior to arrival in Hong Kong. Japan Japan is under a state of emergency and is stepping up border controls and banning visitors from 70 nations — or anyone who has visited those nations in the past 14 days, TPG UK says.
South Korea ‘Just seven weeks ago,’ the Points Guy UK says, ‘the United States and South Korea had the same number of cases, but as of early May, South Korea had fewer than 300 deaths compared to more than 70,000 in the US. Singapore The Points Guy UK says: ‘Singapore was an early leader in the fight against coronavirus — implementing screening of foreign visitors and some of the first quarantines. Contact tracing kept numbers and deaths low. It was also one of the first countries to ease its lockdown after that widespread testing and tracing led to a decline in cases. But a resurgence in cases has now forced it to re-impose severe restrictions. Indonesia For now, no foreigners are allowed into the country, including Bali, the site says. Malaysia Tourists are advised not to go and all international arrivals, including Malaysian citizens, are required to undergo 14-day quarantine. The Philippines No foreigners are allowed into the country.
AUSTRALASIA Australia The Points Guy UK says: ‘Foreigners are banned except for a few emergency exemptions that must be cleared in advance, and arriving citizens and noncitizens are subject to a 14-day quarantine. Australian leaders have said October is probably the earliest they would again allow international travel.’
MIDDLE EAST Israel On March 18, the government announced that foreigners would not be allowed to enter Israel. There are no current plans to ease that restriction, the site says. UAE The Points Guy UK says: ‘The United Arab Emirates is beginning to ease some strict lockdown measures, but is still not welcoming tourists and a curfew remains in effect. There are some flights between the UK and Abu