Every country on the planet now has some form of travel restriction prompted by the COVID-19 crisis – a historical first. According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the new coronavirus outbreak has prompted all destinations worldwide to introduce limitations on travel, representing the most severe restriction on international travel in history.
Furthermore, so far, no country has lifted restrictions introduced in response to the pandemic.
As well as a general overview, UNWTO research breaks down the type of travel restrictions that have been introduced by destinations in all of the global regions, while also plotting the evolution of these restrictions since Jan. 30 when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
The latest analysis shows that, of 217 destinations worldwide:
• 45% have totally or partially closed their borders for tourists – “Passengers are not allowed to enter”
• 30% have suspended totally or partially international flights – “All flights are suspended”
• 18% are banning the entry for passengers from specific countries of origin or passengers who have transited through specific destinations
• 7% are applying different measures, such as quarantine or self-isolation for 14 days and visa measures.
Following up on previous research, the latest data from the United Nations specialized agency for tourism shows that 100 percent of destinations now have restrictions in place. Of these, 83 percent have had COVID-19-related restrictions in place for four or more weeks and, as of April 20, no destination has lifted them.
On April 6, UNWTO researched showed that 96 percent of countries had imposed some measure of travel restriction.
“COVID-19 has impacted travel and tourism like no other event before in history,” says UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, who adds, “This research on global travel restrictions will help support the timely and responsible implementation of exit strategies, allowing destinations to ease or lift travel restrictions when it is safe to do so. This way, the social and economic benefits that tourism offers can return, providing a path to sustainable recovery for both individuals and whole countries.”
Against this backdrop, UNWTO has been leading calls for governments worldwide to commit to supporting tourism through this unprecedented challenge. According to Secretary-General Pololikashvili, the sudden and unexpected fall in tourism demand caused by COVID-19 places millions of jobs and livelihoods at risk while at the same time jeopardising the advances made in sustainable development and equality over recent years.