Covid-19 Travel Curbs

For the first time since Covid halted movement around the world, leisure travel has returned to 2019 levels, according to a report released by the Mastercard Economics Institute.

New Zealand welcomed thousands of travellers from around the globe on Wednesday as the country opened its borders to visitors from around 60 nations including the US, Britain and Singapore for the first time since COVID-19 hit in early 2022.

Thailand on Friday announced the end of compulsory Covid-19 tests for vaccinated travellers, as the country steps up efforts to revive its pandemic-thumped tourism industry.

Singapore will lift restrictions for all vaccinated travellers from next week, with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Thursday hailing it as a "major milestone" in the aviation hub's efforts to live with Covid-19.

Australia opens its international borders to all vaccinated tourists Monday, nearly two years after the island nation first imposed some of the world's strictest Covid-19 travel restrictions.

China is on high alert against COVID-19 as the New Year holiday looms, with the city of Xian under lockdown while several New Year's Eve events in other cities have been cancelled and some provinces urged restraint in travel.

In an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 variant Omicron, Japan will add India, Greece, Romania and four US states under strict quarantine vigilance.

Hundreds of foreigners on family or business trips in South Africa desperately tried to get back home on the last available flights as several nations imposed restrictions on travellers due to the discovery of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19

Australian on Saturday imposed new restrictions on people who have been in nine southern African countries, as the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 raises concerns about a further wave of the pandemic.

Brazilian health regulator Anvisa recommended on Friday that travel be restricted from some African countries due to the detection of a new COVID-19 variant, though it was unclear if President Jair Bolsonaro would adopt any measures.

Senior US government scientist Anthony Fauci said Friday Washington wanted more data on a worrisome new Covid-19 variant first detected in southern Africa before joining other countries in banning flights from the region.

The WHO on Friday cautioned against imposing travel restrictions due to the B.1.1.529 Covid-19 variant, saying it would take weeks to understand the implications of the newly discovered strain.

Singapore will restrict arrivals from seven African countries, health officials said Friday, after South Africa discovered a new Covid-19 variant with a large number of mutations.

New Zealand will keep its borders closed to most international travellers for a further five months, the government said on Wednesday, outlining a cautious easing of border curbs that have been in place since COVID-19 hit in March 2020.

Japan's biggest airline, ANA Holdings, has asked the government to ease curbs on overseas visitors, and seeks a revival of domestic tourism subsidies to spur travel as pandemic infections fall, its chief executive said on Thursday.

For the first time since Covid halted movement around the world, leisure travel has returned to 2019 levels, according to a report released by the Mastercard Economics Institute.

New Zealand welcomed thousands of travellers from around the globe on Wednesday as the country opened its borders to visitors from around 60 nations including the US, Britain and Singapore for the first time since COVID-19 hit in early 2022.

Thailand on Friday announced the end of compulsory Covid-19 tests for vaccinated travellers, as the country steps up efforts to revive its pandemic-thumped tourism industry.

Singapore will lift restrictions for all vaccinated travellers from next week, with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Thursday hailing it as a "major milestone" in the aviation hub's efforts to live with Covid-19.

Australia opens its international borders to all vaccinated tourists Monday, nearly two years after the island nation first imposed some of the world's strictest Covid-19 travel restrictions.

China is on high alert against COVID-19 as the New Year holiday looms, with the city of Xian under lockdown while several New Year's Eve events in other cities have been cancelled and some provinces urged restraint in travel.

In an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 variant Omicron, Japan will add India, Greece, Romania and four US states under strict quarantine vigilance.

Hundreds of foreigners on family or business trips in South Africa desperately tried to get back home on the last available flights as several nations imposed restrictions on travellers due to the discovery of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19

Australian on Saturday imposed new restrictions on people who have been in nine southern African countries, as the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 raises concerns about a further wave of the pandemic.

Brazilian health regulator Anvisa recommended on Friday that travel be restricted from some African countries due to the detection of a new COVID-19 variant, though it was unclear if President Jair Bolsonaro would adopt any measures.

Senior US government scientist Anthony Fauci said Friday Washington wanted more data on a worrisome new Covid-19 variant first detected in southern Africa before joining other countries in banning flights from the region.

The WHO on Friday cautioned against imposing travel restrictions due to the B.1.1.529 Covid-19 variant, saying it would take weeks to understand the implications of the newly discovered strain.

Singapore will restrict arrivals from seven African countries, health officials said Friday, after South Africa discovered a new Covid-19 variant with a large number of mutations.

New Zealand will keep its borders closed to most international travellers for a further five months, the government said on Wednesday, outlining a cautious easing of border curbs that have been in place since COVID-19 hit in March 2020.

Japan's biggest airline, ANA Holdings, has asked the government to ease curbs on overseas visitors, and seeks a revival of domestic tourism subsidies to spur travel as pandemic infections fall, its chief executive said on Thursday.