The Covid-19 pandemic has been having an unprecedented impact on the travel world for almost two years now, and the end of the crisis appears to be on the horizon.
International tourism has faced an unprecedented decline since the pandemic; UNWTO figures for 2021 remain 72% lower than pre-pandemic 2019, despite a slight increase (+4%) compared to 2020.
However, could there now be light at the end of the tunnel for international travel? Events in some regions speak of this, but on the contrary, many countries remain very cautious about the lifting of health restrictions, also given the rapid spread of the Omicron variant.
European countries lift restrictions
Some European countries have taken a somewhat risky approach and have decided to lift all Covid-19 restrictions. Earlier in January, the UK announced that it was lifting all restrictions. Denmark followed at the end of the month, despite a rapid rise in cases.
Other countries that have eased restrictions significantly include the Netherlands and Austria has lifted its lockdown for the unvaccinated population. The Czech Republic, for example, announced that it plans to lift restrictions in April.
Some governments appear to be suggesting that it is nearly impossible to control the spread of Covid-19 variants without devastating socioeconomic costs and consequences.
And while a looser approach may be a novelty in Europe, Mexico, for example, has been bearing the fruits of its open borders and soft restrictions for some time now.
Some Mexican beaches have never been as crowded as they have been in recent months as they continue to host crowds of young travelers, mostly from North America and Europe.
And although the number of foreign visitors in the country also decreased from 45 million in 2019 to 31 million last year, at the same time it has risen from 7th to 3rd place in terms of global popularity, which will certainly have a positive impact. for the future of the tour sector in the country.
Asian destinations remain closed
On the other side of the world, specifically in the Asia-Pacific region, the situation is completely different. Travel destinations in Asia tend to be very cautious two years after the start of the pandemic, and the end of the crisis seems very far away.
For example, China has introduced a zero-tolerance policy in which international travel is almost impossible and citywide lockdowns across the country are commonplace. Hong Kong, for its part, closed schools, bars and limited restaurant hours.
Japan’s borders remain closed, as do New Zealand’s, while South Korea has strict conditions for entering the country, as well as a host of rules regarding gatherings, restaurant hours, and more.
As a result of these strict rules and restrictions, destinations in Asia have suffered the most on a global scale. Arrivals in 2021 were 65% lower than in 2020 and 94% below pre-pandemic levels, well above the global average, according to UNWTO data.