Travel Updates

Forbes Travel

E.U. Recommends Travel Ban for American Tourists

United States

Mexico Iceland

Spain Switzerland

Greece

Jordan

Dubai (United Arab Emirates)

Seychelles The Maldives

As expected, the European Union recommended, as of August 30, that its 27 member nations reinstate travel restrictions for American tourists because of rising coronavirus infections in the United States.

The European Council has decided to remove the U.S. from its ‘safe list’ of countries for nonessential travel. This is a reversal from its June decision to recommend lifting restrictions on American travelers just as the summer tourism season kicked off.

However, this guidance is non-binding, so individual countries in the E.U. bloc can decide to impose their own sets of restrictions. Travelers should expect a messy patchwork of different rules and regulations across the continent, much like they encounter a mishmash of non-uniform rules and regulations across the U.S.

Despite the E.U.’s recommendation, some countries in the bloc will likely continue to allow fully vaccinated Americans to visit as long as they show proof of their vaccination status. Unvaccinated U.S. travelers will likely be faced with rigorous restrictions including frequent testing and quarantines upon entry, if they are allowed to enter at all.

Five other countries were also removed from the E.U.’s safe travel list today: Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Montenegro, and North Macedonia.

The United States never reopened its own borders to E.U. tourists during the pandemic, a point of contention among many Europeans. The new recommendation, they say, reflects a certain reciprocity. The threshold for being on the E.U. safe travel list is having fewer than 75 new Covid-19 cases daily per 100,000 inhabitants over the previous 14 days. Currently the United States has an infection rate roughly seven times above that threshold.

The Delta variant of the coronavirus has ravaged the United States all summer, leading to spikes in hospitalizations and deaths rivaling where the country was in December and January. According to the Brown School of Public Health’s risk assessment tracker, the level of infections in the U.S. is currently twice that of France, three times that of Spain, and more than five times that of Italy. Information from Forbes.com

Quarantine-free countries

As of August 15, 2021, with the implementation of the vaccine passport, many countries are easing their quarantine requirements and making allowances to accommodate international arrivals. While the following countries do provide a quarantine-free travel experience, please note that in most cases waiving the quarantine period is contingent on the testing and/or vaccination status of the traveler. The following is our selection of the top countries that do not require visitors to quarantine.

Jordan

Jordan’s generosity and hospitality are simply boundless—since ancient times, the land has always been welcoming to countless strangers and visitors. As such, not even the pandemic can stop you from paying your respect to Jordan’s ancient rock city of Petra. No one can claim to have ever visited Jordan without spending a full day

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in this amazing World Heritage Site. Passengers entering Jordan must have a negative COVID19 PCR test taken at most 72 hours before arrival. The test result for passengers arriving from Egypt, Turkey, and Iraq must be issued by an approved laboratory, details can be found on https://www.visitjordan.gov. jo/Labs-List.html

Any non-Jordanian travelers departing from India will not be granted entry unless they have stayed for 45 days outside India prior to travelling to Jordan. Additionally, travelers who have been in Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka will not be granted entry.

The Maldives

If your vision of paradise involves an untouched tropical island with waving palm trees, white, dreamy beaches, and shimmering turquoise lagoons, the Maldives will definitely not disappoint. It’s also a haven for scuba divers with its beautiful coral reefs and teeming undersea marine environment.

Unless you’re arriving from the UK, fully vaccinated travelers will not be subjected to quarantine. As for visitors from other parts of the world, no quarantine requirement is necessary, as long as they are in possession of a medical certificate with a negative Coronavirus (COVID-19) PCR test result. The test must have been taken at most 72 hours before departure from the first embarkation point. Travelers must complete a Traveller Health Declaration at most 24 hours before departure.

Dubai (United Arab Emirates)

Dubai is the place for you if excellent restaurants, fine spas, international shopping, luxury hotels, and alluring nightlife constitute your idea of the perfect getaway. In other words, Dubai appeals to foodies, shoppers, lovers of art, and those simply looking to have some fun. Dubai also boasts some local flavors with its laid-back ambience of the traditional souks, its art galleries, as well as local gastronomy. With its incredible array of offerings, you will find Dubai catering to both simple living and luxurious lifestyles alike.

In the case of Dubai, foreign tourists from certain countries are allowed entry with no on-arrival quarantine imposed should they should able to meet the necessary requirements. However, tourists departing from the UAE’s list of banned countries will not be granted entry. All passengers travelling to Dubai from any other point of origin must hold a negative COVID 19 RT PCR test certificate for a test issued within 72 hours prior to departure. Depending on your country of origin, you may need to take another test upon arrival. Children under the age of 12 and passengers who have a moderate or severe disability are exempt from taking a COVID 19 RT PCR test.

Seychelles

This jewel in the Indian Ocean is one of the most sought-after destinations in the world. No traveler worth their salt can truly resist the temptation of sparkling beaches scattered perfectly across the country’s 115 islands. But in the off chance that the beaches fail to enchant travelers, the Seychelles lush jungle featuring scores of fascinating wildlife will surely do the trick.

Seychelles is open to travelers from all over the world. However, for the time being, visitors from South Africa, Brazil, India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh will not be granted entry. Fully vaccinated status is not mandatory, although travelers are strongly encouraged to have been fully immunized prior to travel. A Health Travel Authorization (HTA) is required for every passenger entering Seychelles along with a negative PCR test taken maximum 72 hrs before departure

Mexico

Mexico boasts lush tropical forests, cacti-infected deserts, as well as sandy beaches and lagoons. As such, visiting the country means availing yourself of its various activities of the great outdoors. You can choose to lounge lazily on the beach, enjoy a leisurely stroll in the open air, and even snorkel your way around a Caribbean reef. Whichever activities you deem most appropriate, Mexico remains open for anyone looking to immerse their senses in an intoxicating setting.

Mexico is currently open for international tourism, meaning that travelers can fly to Mexico with no mandatory quarantine period upon arrival. The Mexican government strongly advises

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locals and visitors to continue practicing COVID-19 preventive measures, which include social distancing and proper hand hygiene practices among others.

Greece

Greece, the cradle of Western civilization, is a destination unlike any other. In a land where the line between mythology and history is blurred, Greece boasts scores of ancient ruins, museums, temples, along with alluring islands and beaches. Greece is allowing international arrivals to travel without the need to quarantine providing they are arriving from a quite extensive list of countries. The list extends to all EU and Schengen Area countries, USA, UK, Albania, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei, Canada, China, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Moldova, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, UAE, and Ukraine.

Travelers from the aforementioned countries are eligible for a quarantine-free journey so long as they have been fully vaccinated with approved vaccines and 14 days have elapsed from the date of their final jab. Travelers must also be able to provide a negative PCR test issued within 72 hours before travel or proof of infection within the past two to nine months.

Accepted vaccines are Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Novovax, Johnson + Johnson, Sinovac, Sputnik, Cansino, and Sinopharm.

Iceland

If the thought of travelling to a crowded place overwhelms you, then Iceland is the perfect destination for your next European escapade. Imagine immersing yourself in absolute tranquility as you explore Iceland’s numerous fjords, observe the northern lights, and drive the golden circle.

Iceland has allowed all vaccinated travelers to visit the country, even those from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Schengen Area. This providing that said travelers are able to produce a valid vaccination certificate detailing which vaccine was administered, who the issuer was, and the batch number of the vaccine. However, both vaccinated and non-vaccinated arrivals must now present a negative PCR or antigen (rapid) test issued within 72 hours before departure to Iceland as per the latest rules. Children born in 2005 or later will continue to be exempted from all border measures.

Spain

There are simply numerous incredible places worthy of your visit scattered throughout the country. Whether visiting the heart of the Barcelona metropolitan area or spending some downtime on the remote stretches of El Camino de Santiago, there is always something magical and profound about the Spanish way of life. Oh, and did we mention the tantalizing beaches and the accompanying resorts?

Spain is opening to fully vaccinated travelers from around the world without needing to quarantine or to provide a negative COVID test. Note that this does not apply to visitors from the following countries deemed as high risk: Brazil, South Africa, Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, and Namibia. International tourists from said countries must undergo a 10-day quarantine upon arrival.

Those who are yet to be vaccinated may also enter the country but must undergo a diagnostic test to enter Spain. The test must be taken within 48 hours before arrival. Tests accepted are PCR, RT-LAMP, RT-PCR and TMA.

Switzerland

Whether embarking on a road trip or going on a panoramic train tour, you’ll come across pristine lakes, grand forests, charming cities and villages, all conspiring to conjure up romantic images of Switzerland. Under the watchful eye of the Alps and Jura mountain range, and with the accompaniment of its exquisite cheese, wine, and chocolate, life is all but good here in Switzerland.

Fully vaccinated travelers or those who have recovered from the infection in the last six months will be able to enter Switzerland without any quarantine and pre-testing measures unless they are traveling from areas with variants of concern. However, as per the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health website, there are no longer any countries on the list of countries with a variant of concern.

Please note the date for this advisory announced on August 15, 2021. Always check the current travel requirements on government websites as advisories change and update regularly.

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