The US travel industry breathed a sigh of relief on Monday after the Biden government announced that it would ease long-standing restrictions on international travelersso that those fully vaccinated against the coronavirus can visit the country from November.
The 18-month travel ban on travelers from Europe, China, Iran, South Africa, Brazil and India is crippling to the industry, which suffered a loss of $ 500 billion in travel spending in 2020, including a drop in international travel spending around 79 percent, loud US travel association, a trade group that promotes travel in and within the country. In 2020, 19.4 million international visitors came to the United States, less than a quarter of the visitors in 2019.
Unvaccinated travelers from many countries including Mexico, Canada and Japan who were allowed to enter the United States prior to Monday’s announcement will no longer be allowed after the new proclamation goes into effect.
Roger Dow, president of the US Travel Association, praised the lifting of restrictions on vaccinated travelers.
“The US Travel Association welcomes the announcement by the Biden administration to publish a roadmap to reopen air travel to vaccinated people from around the world that will help revitalize the American economy and protect public health,” he said in one Statement on Monday.
“This is a major turning point in dealing with the virus and will accelerate the recovery of the millions of travel-related jobs that have been lost due to international travel restrictions.”
Nicholas E. Calio, President of Airlines for America, an industry group, also welcomed the new policy requiring airlines to play a role in checking the vaccination status of international travelers. “US airlines are strong advocates of strict, rigorous policies and strive to safely reunite the myriad families, friends and colleagues who haven’t seen each other in nearly two years, if not longer,” Calio said in a statement .
Understand US vaccination and mask requirements
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- Vaccination rules. On August 23rd, the Food and Drug Administration Pfizer-BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine granted full approval for people aged 16 and over, paving the way for an increase in mandates in the public and private sectors. Private companies were Vaccines are becoming increasingly mandatory for employees. Such mandates are allowed by law and have been upheld in legal challenges.
- Mask rules. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in July recommended that all Americans, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks in public places indoors in areas with outbreaks, a reversal of guidelines offered in May. See where the CDC guidance would apply, and where States have implemented their own mask guidelines. The battle over masks has become controversial in some states, with some Local leaders defy state bans.
- College and Universities. More than 400 colleges and universities require a vaccination against Covid-19. Almost all of them are in states that voted for President Biden.
- schools. Both California and New York City have introduced vaccination mandates for educational staff. A poll published in August found that many American parents had school-age children are against mandatory vaccines for students, but were More support for mask requirements for pupils, teachers and employees who do not have a vaccination.
- Hospitals and medical centers. Many hospitals and major health systems require their employees to have a Covid-19 vaccine. citing increasing case numbers from the Delta variant and persistently low vaccination rates in their communities, even within their workforce.
- New York City. Proof of vaccination is required from workers and customers Indoor dining, gyms, performances and other indoor situations, although enforcement doesn’t start until September 13th. Teachers and other educational workers In the city’s huge school system, at least one dose of vaccine is required until September 27th, without the possibility of a weekly exam. City hospital staff also need to get vaccinated or have weekly tests. Similar rules apply to employees in New York State.
- At the federal level. The Pentagon announced that it would make coronavirus vaccinations mandatory for the country 1.3 million soldiers on active service “At the latest” than mid-September. President Biden announced that all civil federal employees would have to be vaccinated against the coronavirus or undergo regular testing, social distancing, masking requirements, and restrictions on most trips.
Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association, a trade group for the world’s airlines, described the new approach to international travel as “a step forward” for the US economy, families separated by previous rules, and about the spread of coronavirus around the world. But there is still a lot to be solved, he said, as the new rules not only open travel to the United States for many people, but also prohibit travel for unvaccinated people from around the world.
“The next challenge is to find a system to manage the risks for travelers who do not have access to vaccinations,” he said in a statement. “Data suggests testing is the solution. However, it is also important that governments accelerate the adoption of vaccines around the world and agree on a global framework for travel with testing resources focused on unvaccinated travelers. We need to return to a situation where freedom of travel is available to all. “
No city in the United States felt the effects of the travel ban like New York, which had the highest proportion of outbound travel and attracted more than 13.5 million foreign visitors in 2019, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which includes the airports the region operates.
International visitors generate 50 percent of the city’s tourism spending and 50 percent of hotel room occupancy, NYC & Companysaid the city’s tourism marketing agency. Fred Dixon, President and CEO of the agency, welcomed the government’s decision, calling it “a shot in the arm for the industry”.
