TRAVEL UPDATES Which Countries are Reopening for Meetings? Here Are the Latest Updates from Around the World As of press time, Belgium and England have announced national lockdowns intended to curb the spread of coronavirus. Similar restrictions were introduced in France and Germany last week. Many parts of the world continue to battle new COVID-19 outbreaks, leaders have paused the reopening process and, in some cases, put in place new restrictions. Mexico and Canada have extended the closure of their borders with the United States until at least November 21. Recent spikes have led many European countries to reintroduce measures to curb the spread of infection and reimpose travel constraints on their neighbors. In response to Belgium’s rise in cases, the country’s leaders have introduced new restrictions. From November 2 to December 13, nonessential shops and businesses will be closed. Employees are encouraged to work from home and public gatherings cannot exceed more than four people. England also is expected to enter a four-week lockdown from November 5 to December 2. Bars and restaurants will only be allowed to serve take out. Gyms, theaters, salons, and nonessential retail businesses must shut down for the time being. On October 30, France entered a nationwide lockdown that will last until December 1. During this time, gatherings are banned, and nonessential businesses, including bars and restaurants, will close. Residents are required to fill out permission forms whenever they leave home. Meanwhile, a partial lockdown in Germany began on November 2 and is expected to remain in place until November 30. Gatherings are limited to no more than 10 people from a maximum of two households. Restaurants can only serve takeout, while bars, theaters and gyms will be forced to close. Italy implemented new restrictions on October 26 that are expected to last until November 24. Bars and restaurants must close by 6 p.m., and people are required to wear masks outdoors. On October 25, Spain declared a state of emergency and ordered a nationwide curfew. Regional leaders can modify the curfew and restrictions. Prime Minister Pedro Sånchez will ask Parliament to extend the state of emergency until May. Further north, Wales entered a 17-day lockdown on October 23, and Ireland imposed its highest level of coronavirus restrictions on October 21. The rules, which prohibit all indoor and outdoor organized gatherings, are expected to last six weeks. The Netherlands government has ordered a partial lockdown beginning October 15 that is expected to last at least four weeks and includes new restrictions on bars and restaurants, gathering limits, and face-mask requirements. The government of the Czech Republic reimposed a state of emergency on October 5 and also has lowered gathering restrictions. On October 13, European Union countries approved new travel guidelines that unify testing and quarantine regulations to simplify
travel between the member nations. As part of the new approach, the E.U. has created a map that displays the COVID-19 risk levels throughout Europe, based on a traffic-light system. The map will be updated each week by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Regions will be colored green, orange, or red, depending on the total number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people over the past 14 days, as well as the testing rate and test-positivity rate for the preceding week. Regions will be colored gray if not enough information is available. The map will be used to determine travel restrictions, including quarantine or testing mandates. For example, those coming from green regions will not face any travel restrictions, while travelers from orange and red regions can expect some restrictions. As some destinations have largely contained the spread of COVID-19, a few have announced plans for again allowing business events to take place. On October 8, the Hong Kong Tourism Board announced it would launch standardized hygiene and anti-epidemic protocols for tourism-related industries, in partnership with the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency. Beginning October 1, Singapore approved business gatherings of up to 250 participants, while Dubai reopened for international meetings on the same date. Conferences and exhibitions were also expected to return to the United Kingdom on October 1. A number of tourist destinations have moved forward with their re-openings, including Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, which recently announced new policies making it easier for travelers to visit. www.rotoworldmag.com 25
