#RestartTourism One in three destinations worldwide still completely closed to international tourism, says UNWTO report on travel restrictions
Madrid/IBNS: Not only is the pandemic refusing to go away but also rearing its ugly head every now and then, jeopardising the efforts being made to restart tourism.
One of the key deterrents has been the travel restrictions, with one in three destinations worldwide still completely closed to international tourism.
The UN World Tourism Organisation (WTO) Travel Restrictions Report provides a comprehensive overview of the regulations in place in 217 destinations worldwide.
While previous editions of the report had shown a movement towards easing or lifting restrictions on travel, the latest report shows that the persistent seriousness of the epidemiological situation has caused governments to adopt a more cautious approach.
According to the report, as of the beginning of February, 32 per cent of all destinations worldwide (69 in total) are completely closed for international tourism.
Of these, around just over half (38 destinations) have been closed for at least 40 weeks.
At the same time, 34 percent of worldwide destinations are now partially closed to international tourists.
According to UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Polilikashvili, “Travel restrictions have been widely used to restrict the spread of the virus. Now, as we work to restart tourism, we must recognise that restrictions are just one part of the solution. Their use must be based on the latest data and analysis and consistently reviewed so as to allow for the safe and responsible restart of a sector upon which many millions of businesses and jobs depend.”
The ninth edition of the UNWTO Travel Restrictions Report shows that regional differences with regards to travel restrictions remain.
Of the 69 destinations where borders are completely closed to tourists, 30 are in Asia and the Pacific, 15 are in Europe, 11 are in Africa, 10 are in the Americas and three are in the Middle East.
The UNWTO research also indicates a trend towards adopting a more nuanced, evidence and risk-based approach to implementing travel restrictions.
Growing numbers of destinations worldwide now require international tourists to present a negative PCR or antigen test upon arrival and also provide contact details for tracing purposes.
Indeed, 32 per cent of all worldwide destinations now have the presentation of such tests as their main requirement for international arrivals often combined with quarantine, while the same amount have made tests a secondary or tertiary measure, the report said.
As UNWTO leads the restart of tourism, the Travel Restrictions Report also notes how different governments are issuing advice to their own citizens.
Analysis of the top 10 tourism source markets currently advising against non-essential travel abroad found they generated 44 per cent of all international arrivals in 2018, according to the report.
UNWTO also noted that advice issued by governments will play a crucial role in the restart and recovery of tourism in the weeks and months ahead.
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