Travel Industry News at TravelNewsAsia.com since 1997. Interviews, podcasts, videos, pictures and more
Wed, 19 May 2021

More Countries Lift Restrictions for Vaccinated Travellers

IATA has applauded the growing number of countries making data and evidence-driven decisions to open their borders to vaccinated travellers.

The latest data collected by IATA, including its Timatic service, shows that more than 20 countries have wholly or partially lifted restrictions for vaccinated travellers.

Germany is among the latest countries to make quarantine alleviations for vaccinated travellers. Vaccinated travellers and those with a negative COVID19 test result are no longer subject to quarantine measures, except from certain high-risk countries.

SWISS Airbus A220-300 reg: HB-JCN. Picture by Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com Click to enlarge.

The German government's decision followed a review of scientific advice from the world-renowned Robert Koch Institute (RKI), which concluded that vaccinated travellers are no longer significant in the spread of the disease and do not pose a major risk to the German population. Specifically, it stated that vaccination reduces risk of COVID19 transmission to levels below the risk from a false negative rapid antigen test.

The implementation of this policy aligns Germany with recommendations from both the European Commission and the European Parliament, based on similar scientific advice from the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC).

In its interim guidance on the benefits of full vaccination, the ECDC said that “based on the limited evidence available, the likelihood of an infected vaccinated person transmitting the disease is currently assessed to be very low to low.”

Similar conclusions are being reached on the other side of the Atlantic. In the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) has noted that “with a 90% effective vaccine, pre-travel testing, post-travel testing, and 7-day self-quarantine provide minimal additional benefit”.

“A safe opening of borders to international travel is the goal. And scientific evidence and data such as that presented by RKI, ECDC and USC CDC should be the basis for the decision-making needed to achieve that,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. “There is increasing scientific evidence that vaccination is not only protecting people but also dramatically reducing the risk of COVID19 transmission. This is bringing us closer to a world where vaccination and testing enables the freedom to travel without quarantine. Germany and at least 20 other countries have already taken an important step forward in re-opening their borders to vaccinated travellers. These are the best practice examples for others to quickly follow.”

According to the US CDC, alleviations from COVID19 restrictions are a powerful motivator for vaccination, particularly in communities where vaccine hesitancy is prevalent. This is an additional and important benefit of restriction-free travel for those vaccinated.

IATA polling indicates that 81% of international travellers are willing to get vaccinated in order to be able to travel. Moreover, 74% of people in the same poll agreed that those vaccinated should be able to travel by air without restrictions.

Digital Solutions for Vaccination/Test Certificates

The decisions of increasing numbers of countries to accept vaccinated travellers without quarantine measures adds pressure for a digital solution to manage vaccine certificates and COVID19 test results.

Paper-based processes could lead to extremely long processing times at check-in and border control. They also open the door to fraud.

Digital vaccine/test certificates, coupled with passenger apps such as the IATA Travel Pass, will be needed to manage travel health credentials efficiently and securely in the restart.

Recent IATA polling shows strong support for a digital solution.

- 89% supported globally standardized COVID19 test or vaccination certifications; and
- 84% want an app to manage their travel health credentials.

“A gap is opening up between countries responding to scientific evidence, and those exhibiting a lack of preparation or excessive caution in reopening borders. Countries that seize the opportunity offered by the increasing numbers of vaccinated travellers can protect their populations and reap an economic reward,” said Walsh.

IATA Travel Pass - Exclusive Video Interview with Vinoop Goel

PODCAST

Editor's note: As the above video interview was conducted over the internet, I would like to apologise that the audio and visual quality are not up to the same HD/UHD quality that it normally would be. Hopefully it won't be too long until we are once again conducting exclusive video interviews in person, but for now we have to make do with what we have. Thank you.

See also: Future of Airline Distribution and NDC - Interview with Yanik Hoyles, IATA (November 2019).

See latest Travel Industry News, Video Interviews, Podcasts and other news regarding: COVID19, IATA, IATA Travel Pass.

Headlines: Tourism Seychelles - Exclusive Interview with Sherin Francis, Principal Secretary  InterContinental Bangkok Reopens After Multi-Million Dollar Renovation  Yvonne Manzi Makolo Becomes First Woman to Chair IATA Board of Governors  Vietnam and Turkish Airlines Sign Codeshare Agreement  Holterman Expands Range of Xtreme Motoryachts with 60-Footer  Accelya Working with American to Make EDIFACT Tickets Exchangeable Through NDC  Emirates to Host 80th IATA AGM and World Air Transport Summit in 2024  IHG Working with Apple to Enable AirPlay in Hotel Rooms  Air France-KLM to Enhance Corporate Travel Management Solution with Cytric  Concur Partners battleface Corporate Travel Insurance  Can Flight and Accommodation Supply Keep up with Demand?  IndiGo Expands International Services with Six New Routes  Wyndham to Rebrand 591-Key Hotel in Singapore  ANA Transforms Boeing 787-9 into Pikachu Jet NH  Star Alliance Appoints Theo Panagiotoulias as CEO  IATA Reports Substantial Increase of Unruly Passenger Incidents  Diogo Elias Joins Avianca Cargo as Vice President of Corporate Development  Hong Kong Airlines to Resume Flights to Chongqing and Sanya; Increase Hangzhou  Air Canada Launches Flights from Montreal to Three Destinations in Europe  SalamAir to Launch Flights Between Salalah and Bahrain  Minor Hotels Signs Second Anantara Resort in Brazil  Indonesia and Malaysia Named World's Top Two Destinations for Muslim Travellers  IHG Simplifies Hotel Wi-Fi with Auto Connect Solution  Qatar Airways Resumes Flights to Tokyo Haneda  Global Air Traffic at 90.5% of Pre-COVID19 Levels in April 2023  Steve Armitage to Leave BEIA for Hospitality New Zealand  Air Canada Café Opens at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport  Air Algérie Orders Five A330-900s and Two A350-1000s  IHG Signs Third Kimpton Hotel in Spain  Norse Atlantic Launches London Gatwick - Washington Dulles Flights  Marriott Signs World's Largest Aloft Hotel in Singapore  All Nippon Airways Expands Use of Sabre Slot Manager  IATA Reports Continued Decline in Global Air Cargo Demand  Accor Opens Mantra Hotel in Bunbury, Western Australia  DiDi Enterprise Solutions Partners Amadeus for China Expansion  Yannick Alléno's First Restaurant in London to Open 1 July 2023  World's First All-Inclusive Tivoli Resort Opens in Algarve, Portugal  Upgraded Credit Ratings for Pegasus Airlines  SAS Opens Reservations on Historic First Commercial Electric Flight  Qatar Airways Signs Deal with Shell for 3,000 Metric Tonnes of SAF at AMS  Qantas to Resume Flights to New York, USA in June  Singapore Airlines to Offer Unlimited Free WiFi in All Classes  Plaza Premium Opens First Airport Lounge in Japan  Carlos Rodriguez Appointed Senior Executive Chef of Two Luxury Resorts in Seychelles  Vietnam Airlines Completes SkyTeam's Sustainable Flight Challenge  Munich Airport Breaks Ground on 358-Room ibis Styles Hotel  IHG Breaks Ground on Even Hotel in Doral, Miami  Multi-Modal Cargo Hub to be Constructed at Noida Airport in Uttar Pradesh, India  Norse Opens Ticket Sales on London Gatwick - Miami Flights; Confirms End to FLL Service  Emirates' Complimentary 1 and 2-Night Hotel Stay Promotion Ends 11 June  Starlux Airlines to Launch Flights Between Taipei and Clark, Philippines  Qantas Unveils Details of Group Strategy Through 2030  Asia Pacific Airlines Report 198.9% Increase in RPK  Hyatt Expands Inclusive Collection with Adults-Only Impression by Secrets Brand  Stéphane Gras Returns to USA as GM of Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco  Dusit Opens Second Asai Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand  AirAsia Aiming to Establish Fuzhou Airport as a Gateway Hub for Southeast Asia  Textron Expands Partnership with Absolute Aviation  Boeing Phantom Works Begins Construction of 47,500 sqft ACC in St. Louis, Missouri  Lancashire Cricket Helps Youngsters in UAE Improve Their Game  Garuda Indonesia and Singapore Airlines Explore Joint Venture  Wyndham Signs Two Hotels in Bangkok, Thailand  Norse Atlantic Launches Flights to Orlando and Fort Lauderdale from London Gatwick  Eve Air Mobility to Build First Full-Scale eVTOL Prototype in H2 2023  ITA Airways Takes Delivery of First Airbus A330neo  Dassault Business Jets to Feature Honeywell's Cabin Sentinel  AC Hotel by Marriott Opens in St. Julian's, Malta  Fiji Airways to Increase Flights to Hong Kong  Qantas to Bid Farewell to Boeing 717 VH-NXI Named Blue Mountains  Boeing Signs P-8A Poseidon MOU with ST Engineering  PPHG Opens Two Hotels in Same Skyscraper in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan  Holiday Inn Club Vacations Buys Four Royal Resorts in Mexico  Air Corporate Orders 43 Airbus Helicopters  British Airways Begins Phased Rollout of New Uniforms  United Airlines to Expand Services at Denver Hub  Air Canada Adds More Sun to Winter Schedule  Honeywell Partners PT Dirgantara Indonesia on Philippine Air Force NC212i Program  Korean Air Celebrates Earning Lithium Battery CEIV Certification from IATA  Rolls-Royce Expands Business Aviation Solutions with CorporateCare Flex  Embraer Appoints Frederico Lemos as CCO - Defense & Security  Malaysia's SKS Airways to Lease Ten E195-E2s; Signs Services Deal with Embraer  Mandarin Oriental Signs Residential Project in Madrid, Spain  Heekyung Chung Moves to Vietnam as DOSM of Hyatt Regency Danang  Hong Kong Airlines to Launch Flights to Nagoya, Japan  Scoot to Add Nine E190-E2 Aircraft to Fleet  CAE to Open 8,000 sqm Business Aviation Training Centre in Vienna, Austria  Minor Opens Eighth Anantara Hotel in Europe  Marriott Bonvoy Launches Two-Way Points Exchange with FFPs of ANA and JAL  Turkish Airlines Extends Contract for Accelya's Industry Insights Solution  Thai Airways Signs SAF-Related MOU with Bangchak  Mandarin Oriental Signs Hotel and Residences in Athens, Greece  Living With One Eye - Six Years On by Steven Howard  Seoul's Yellow Balloon Tour to Upgrade Services with Sabre Partnership  Solomon Islands Lifts All COVID19-Related Travel Restrictions  Renaissance Hotel Opens in Porto, Portugal  Aruba Certifies ExecuJet MRO Services Malaysia to Maintain Several Aircraft Types  Honeywell Appoints Galaxy Aerospace as an Authorised Avionics Dealer  St. Regis Hotel Opens in Chicago, USA  IndiGo to Expand Domestic Services from the Wine Capital of India, Nashik  Outrigger to Buy Two Hotels in Maui, Hawaii  Cebu Pacific Resumes Laoag - Manila Flights  Marriott Appoints Brian Povinelli as SVP Global Head of Marketing and Brand  Hyatt Signs Second Thompson Hotel in California, USA  Air New Zealand's New Amenity Kits Feature Skincare Inspired by Traditional Maori Practices  Birmingham Airport Partners Smiths Detection for Security Screening Upgrade  Jetstar Takes Delivery of 7th A321neo LR; Changes Check-In and Bag Drop Times  Emirates Expands Free Inflight Connectivity  Doug Parker Joins Qantas Board  Etihad Airways to Launch Flights to Osaka, Japan  Saudia Partners Accenture for Digital Transformation  Sheraton Hotel Opens in Kagoshima, Japan  IndiGo to Expand Kolkata Network; Launch Bangkok Flights in June  Air Canada to Launch Flights Between Toronto and Yellowknife  InterContinental Danang Builds Bridges for Red-Shanked Douc Langurs  Vietnam Airlines Launches Hanoi - Mumbai Flights  Hong Kong Airport Handled 3.1 Million Passengers in April  Korean Air Employees Make a Difference in Chitwan, Nepal  Qatar Airways Signs Codeshare Agreement with Air Seychelles  Boeing Business Jets Sells Two BBJ 787-8s and a BBJ 737-7  Argentina Wins Rugby Sevens Cup Title in London; New Zealand Crowned Champions  IndiGo to Expand Network with New Direct Flights to Middle East  Jagdeep Thakral Moves to Oman as GM of dusitD2 Naseem Resort Jabal Akhdar  Royal Jordanian to Expand Fleet with Eight Embraer E2 Aircraft  Air Canada Installs Air Quality Sensors from IAGOS on an A330  Qantas to Lease Two Finnair A330s  American Airlines Signs 10-Year Use and Lease Agreement with DFW  airasia shop Expands Duty Free Options with Dufry  Songtsam Partners Xiamen Airlines to Promote Tourism to Yunnan, China  Air Astana Celebrates 21st Anniversary; Targets 8.5 Million Passengers in 2023  Elbit Systems to Supply 20 PULS Artillery Rocket Systems to Royal Netherlands Army  India's Aviation Market - Interview with Roshan Mendis, EVP / CCO of Sabre Travel Solutions  Ascott Appoints Two Vice Presidents of Business Development  Minor Hotels Partners Saudi Arabia's Tourism Development Fund  Air Canada Signs Codeshare Agreement with flydubai  IHG Signs MDA with Tashyid for 12 Holiday Inn Express Hotels in Saudi Arabia  Chiva-Som Wellness Resort in Thailand Launches Personalised Supplements Service  Accor Signs New-Build Novotel Hotel in Box Hill, Melbourne  Paris Saint-Germain Football Players Make Dreams Come True at Parc des Princes  Swiss-Belhotel Joins airasia SuperApp's OTA  Hellenic Air Force Takes Delivery of First Two M-346 Training Aircraft  AirAsia Malaysia Launches Flights Between Kuala Lumpur and Kertajati in West Java, Indonesia  Finnair Makes Major Changes to Baggage Restrictions; Launches Superlight Tickets  Plugo to Install EV Charging Stations at Marriott Hotels in Japan  Forward Bookings Show Peak Northern Summer Holiday Season Up 35% on 2022  SITA Reports Increase in Mishandled Baggage  Jewar Airport in Uttar Pradesh, India Signs PPS Agreement with Amadeus  Two Senior Appointments at Mandarin Oriental  India's Star Air Begins Commercial Flights with First E175 Aircraft  Savills Reports Strong Growth in Hotel ADR for Most Cities in Australia  Skyservice Business Aviation Opens FBO at Napa County Airport in California, USA  Hong Kong Rowing Association Celebrates Opening of Major Extension in Sha Tin  Embraer Showcases Short Runway Capability of E190-E2 in South Korea  Cathay Pacific Offering 5,590 Free Tickets to Residents of Bangladesh, India, Nepal and UAE  IHG Signs Two Hotels in Cairo, Egypt  Hong Kong Disneyland Reports Record-High Local Attendance and Annual Pass Membership  China Airlines to Operate First Passenger-Carrying Flight Using SAF  Singapore Festival of Football Attracts Top European Teams  French DGA Tests Airbus VSR700 Unmanned Aerial System at Sea  IHG Opens InterContinental Hotel in Rome, Italy  BP Completes US$1.3 Billion Acquisition of TravelCenters of America  Yotel Signs First Hotel in Thailand  AirAsia Malaysia to Launch Three New Routes to China  China Airlines to Launch Flights Between Kaohsiung and Seoul (Gimpo) in July  MasterCard Publishes Travel Industry Trends 2023 Report  Pictures from Miss International Queen 2022 in Pattaya, Thailand  HD Video Interviews from Miss International Queen 2022 in Pattaya, Thailand  HD Videos and Interviews  Podcasts from HD Video Interviews  RSS Feed - Travel Industry News  Ticker - Travel Industry News  Travel Industry News Archives  Travel Trade Shows  High-Res Picture Galleries  Travel News Asia - Latest Travel Industry News 

Subscribe to our Travel Industry News RSS Feed Travel Industry News RSS Feed from TravelNewsAsia.com. To do that in Outlook, right-click the RSS Feeds folder, select Add a New RSS Feed, enter the URL of our RSS Feed which is: https://www.travelnewsasia.com/travelnews.xml and click Add. The feed can also be used to add the headlines to your website or channel via a customisable applet. Have questions? Please read our Travel News FAQ. Thank you.

     
Advertising
Advertising
Copyright © 1997-2023 TravelNewsAsia.com