• NEWS
    • PODCASTS
    • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWS
    • ADVERTISE WITH US
  • EVENTS
    • EVENT PHOTOS
    • EVENT VIDEOS
    • THIRSTY THURSDAYS
    • CONFERENCES
    • NETWORKING
    • TRAINING & WORKSHOPS
  • JOBS
    • FOR JOB SEEKER
    • FOR EMPLOYER
  • COMMUNITY
    • SEARCH PEOPLE
      • Create a profile now
    • SEARCH COMPANIES
      • Create a profile now
  • EVERYTHING TD
    • About TD
    • What is Native Content?
    • Advertise with TD
    • Connect with Gary (CEO)
    • Connect with Anthony (Director-AU/NZ/SP)
    • Connect with Paul (BDM-Asia)
    • Connect with Crystal (BDM-Singapore)
    • Connect with Leigha (BDM-Middle East & India)
    • Connect with Khoa (BDM-Vietnam)
  • SELF SERVICE
    • POST A PRESS RELEASE
    • POST A TRAVEL BLOG
    • UPLOAD YOUR EVENT

Travel Daily Travel Daily - Informing, connecting and developing the world’s travel industry professionals.

  • MARKETS
    • Asia
      • Cambodia
      • Indonesia
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Philippines
      • Singapore
      • Vietnam
      • Australia
    • Thailand
    • China
    • India
    • Middle East
    • UK & Europe
    • USA
  • SECTORS
    • Air
    • Appointments
    • Business Travel
    • Cruise
    • Hospitality
    • HR & Careers
    • Luxury Travel
    • MICE
    • Technology
    • Tourism
    • Travel Agents
  • FEATURES
    • Sponsored
    • Travel Guides
    • Interviews
    • Podcasts
    • Guest writers
    • Competitions
    • Incentives
    • Reviews
    • By the Way
    • PR Newswire
    • BusinessWire
    • Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
      • Hotel & Travel businesses for sale
  • TRAVEL GUIDES
    • Ponant Yacht Cruises and Expeditions
    • South Australia Tourism Guide
    • The Residence by Etihad Airways
    • Encore Tickets (Chinese Guide)
    • Affordable Luxury in Thailand by Centara Hotels
    • Rising Above the Oridinary by Conrad Bangkok
    • The Best of Thailand
  • FREE TRAINING COURSES
    • Traveluni Online Courses
Travel Daily
Reopening updatesTourismAssociations

70% of destinations have lifted travel restrictions but global gap emerging

By Megha Paul On Dec 3, 2020
TD Editor
Share

The number of destinations closed to international tourism has continued to fall. According to the eighth edition of the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Travel Restrictions Report, 70% of all global destinations have eased restrictions on travel introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In comparison, just one in four destinations continue to keep their borders completely closed to international tourists.

Launched by the at the start of the pandemic, the Travel Restrictions Report keeps track of measures being taken in 217 destinations worldwide, helping to support the mitigation and recovery efforts of the tourism sector. For this latest edition, the methodology has been updated to offer insights into the tourism flows of destinations, as well as to explore the link between health and hygiene infrastructure, environmental performance and any potential connection to travel restrictions.

The lifting of travel restrictions is essential to drive our wider recovery from the social and economic impacts of the pandemic

Steadily opening back up

The Report shows that, as of 1 November, a total of 152 destinations have eased restrictions on international tourism, up from the 115 recorded on 1 September. At the same time, 59 destinations have kept their borders closed to tourists, a decrease of 34 over the same two-month period.

UNWTO secretary-general Zurab Pololikashvili said: “The lifting of travel restrictions is essential to drive our wider recovery from the social and economic impacts of the pandemic. Governments have an important part to play in giving data-led and responsible travel advice and in working together to lift restrictions as soon as it is safe to do so.”

Who eased restrictions faster?

Looking further into current COVID-19-related travel restrictions, the report sheds new light on the factors connecting those destinations which have eased restrictions and those where borders remain closed. The study found that destinations with higher scores in health and hygiene indicators as well as on the environmental performance index are among those which have eased restrictions faster. Moreover, these destinations are increasingly applying differentiated, risk-based approaches to implementing travel restrictions.

In comparison, destinations choosing to keep their borders closed tend to be within emerging economies with relatively low scores in health and hygiene indicators and environmental performance index. The majority of these destinations are in Asia and the Pacific, with many belonging to the SIDS (Small Island Developing States), LDCs (Least Developed Countries) or LLDCs (Landlocked Developing Countries).

Regional differences

As in previous editions, the new UNWTO Travel Restrictions report also breaks the destination analysis down by regions. Europe continues to lead the way in lifting or easing travel restrictions followed by the Americas, Africa and then the Middle East. Meanwhile, Asia and the Pacific continues to be the region with the fewest travel restrictions eased and more complete border closures in place for international tourism.

Looking ahead, the report highlights the important role governments can play in restarting tourism. Out of the ten biggest tourism source markets, four (representing 19% of all outbound trips in 2018) have issued guidance advising against all non-essential international travel. The other six (representing 30% of all outbound trips in 2018), however, have issued more nuanced travel advisories, basing their guidance on evidence-based risk assessments.

Zurab PololikashviliUNWTO Travel Restrictions
Share
You might also like
Associations

Secretary-general Pololikashvili nominated to lead UNWTO for four more years

Tourism

UNWTO to host key week for global tourism

Tourism

Bleak Affair: Tourism back to 1990 levels as arrivals fall by more than 70%

Tourism

UNWTO launches global ‘restart tourism’ campaign

Prev Next

Comments are closed.

More Re-opening updates

  • Dominican Republic to offer free Covid-19 tests to travellers

    IATA calls for EU-wide Covid-19 vaccination certificate

    India emerges as No.1 source market for Maldives

    Visit Jersey unveils ‘Restore Your Balance’ campaign

  • Sri Lanka to welcome back tourists from 21 January

    No quarantine for vaccinated tourists in Seychelles

    High hopes for Sri Lanka reopening on January 21

    Dubai effective approach to beat the virus

  • Abu Dhabi Tourism targets 100% Go Safe-certified destination

    Etihad Airways to offer IATA Travel Pass to its passengers

    Emirates one of the first airlines to trial IATA Travel Pass

    IATA supports EU digital COVID-19 vaccination certificate

VIEW ALL RE-OPENING UPDATES

Re-opening updates

Dominican Republic to offer free Covid-19 tests to…

IATA calls for EU-wide Covid-19 vaccination certificate

India emerges as No.1 source market for Maldives

Visit Jersey unveils ‘Restore Your Balance’ campaign

Prev Next 1 of 4

Popular Posts

Dominican Republic to offer free Covid-19 tests to…

Australia to remain close for some time despite vaccine roll…

Tokyo bags award as most Instagrammable place in the world

Setting sail! Kerala’s first parasailing project unveiled at…

Prev Next 1 of 16
STAY UPDATED WITH THE LATEST TRAVEL NEWS, JOBS & EVENTS!
Join over 180,000 travel agents, professionals and executives subscribed to our daily newsletter.
You can unsubscribe at any time
Search
Follow Us

Menu
  • News
  • Events
  • Jobs
  • Community
  • Subscribe
About
  • About Travel Daily (TD)
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
© 2021 - Travel Daily. All Rights Reserved.
X
Travel Daily
GET THE LATEST TRAVEL INDUSTRY NEWS, JOBS AND EVENTS STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX!
Join over 180,000 travel agents, professionals and executives subscribed to our daily newsletter.
You can unsubscribe at any time
Subscribe to our newsletter
Sign up here to get the latest news, updates and special offers delivered directly to your inbox.
You can unsubscribe at any time
Close

Welcome, Login to your account.

Forget password?
No account? Sign Up
Sign in

Recover your password.

A password will be e-mailed to you.

LOG IN

Welcome back, Log in to your account.

Continue with Facebook
Continue with Google
Continue with Twitter
Continue with LinkedIn

OR
Log in using your email
Forgot password?
Not a member yet? SIGN UP FOR FREE
Sign in

Recover your password.

Sign in

SIGN UP FOR FREE

(New User)

Be part of our community of seasoned travel and hospitality industry professionals from all over the world.

Continue with Facebook
Continue with Google
Continue with Twitter
Continue with LinkedIn
I want to
Only letters and numbers are allowed
Please enter a valid email address
Must be between 6-8 characters
Must be the same with Password
Already have an account? LOG IN
  • LOGIN / SIGN UP
  • NEWS
    • MARKETS
      • Asia
        • Cambodia
        • Indonesia
        • Malaysia
        • Myanmar
        • Philippines
        • Laos
        • Singapore
        • Vietnam
        • Australia
      • Thailand
      • China
      • India
      • Middle East
      • UK & Europe
      • USA
    • SECTORS
      • Air
      • Appointments
      • Business Travel
      • Cruise
      • Hospitality
      • HR & Careers
      • Luxury Travel
      • MICE
      • Technology
      • Tourism
      • Travel Agents
    • FEATURES
      • Sponsored
      • Travel Guides
      • Interviews
      • Podcasts
      • Guest writers
      • Reviews
      • Competitions
      • By the Way
      • PR Newswire
      • BusinessWire
      • Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
        • Hotel & Travel businesses for sale
  • EVENTS
    • Webinars
    • Thirsty Thursdays
    • Photos
    • Videos
    • Conferences
    • Networking
    • Training & Workshops
  • JOBS
    • For Job Seeker
      • Create a profile now
    • For Employer
      • Create a profile now
  • COMMUNITY
    • Search community profiles
    • Search Companies
  • TRAVEL GUIDES
    • Ponant Yacht Cruises and Expeditions
    • South Australia Tourism Guide
    • The Residence by Etihad Airways
    • Encore Tickets (Chinese Guide)
    • Affordable Luxury in Thailand by Centara Hotels
    • Rising Above the Oridinary by Conrad Bangkok
    • The Best of Thailand
  • FREE TRAINING COURSES
    • Traveluni Online Courses