Come middle June 2020, after months of lockdowns, countries are preparing to lift some coronavirus-related travel restrictions and allow tourism to resume. This will be done cautiously with security measures and limitations. Those measures include updating health protocols for hotels and public transit and expanding contact-tracing.
The United Kingdom, France and Ireland have agreed to allow travel among the countries without requiring a 14-day quarantine in the final destination.
Spain
Summer will be very different in the Spanish beach town of Canet d’en Berenguer, officials are accounting for social distancing with a system allowing beachgoers to book appointments on the sand via a mobile app.
Beaches with social distancing grid.
The beach will be divided into a grid of socially distanced sites, with staggered arrival times and the option to choose either a morning or afternoon slot, but not both. The restrictions will allow for a maximum of 5,000 people per day, about half of the beach’s normal capacity.
Iceland
When Iceland opens its border on June 15 to welcome tourists, they will require all visitors to either take a covid-19 test, agree to a two-week quarantine or present official documentation of a recent negative test. Regardless of which option they choose, tourists will have to download a contact-tracing app.
Greece
Greece will open to tourists a bit later, starting July 1, probably without the usual packed nightlife scene. Solo or socially distanced small-group activities, such as kayaking and boating, will be encouraged instead. Tourism in Greece will be slightly different from previous years but visitors will still have a fantastic experience. International travellers will have to enter through Athens and submit to a health screening, which includes a rapid covid-19 test.
Mexico
Beaches across Mexico will open to tourists starting in June, with multiple phases of reopening continuing through July and August. Los Cabos, the tip of the Baja California peninsula will allow for limited travel beginning June 1, as health screenings and enhanced sanitation measures ramp up to accommodate more tourists.
‘…enhanced sanitation measures…’
The Los Cabos tourism board will look to open many of the area’s hotels and, eventually, the international terminal at its airport, provided the new safety protocols are effective in preventing the spread of the virus.
Australia and New Zealand
Australia and New Zealand are experimenting with the idea of a ‘travel bubble’ that would allow tourists to travel freely between the countries. The bubble, however, would apply only to residents of the two countries; the focus is on making sure that both countries are in the position to manage covid-19 to a point where they can confidently open borders. For now, international tourists have to wait.
We hope to see more countries opening up for tourism, of course, with health and safety the top priority.
