Coronavirus: Which countries are reopening their doors to tourists?

Countries include: Egypt, UAE, Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, Spain, Italy, Aruba, Malta, Portugal, Thailand, Germany, Mexico, the Maldives, St. Lucia, Jamaica, Iceland, Bali, France and Georgia.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Mytilene, Greece (photo credit: PXFUEL)
Mytilene, Greece
(photo credit: PXFUEL)
Multiple countries are reopening for tourism as coronavirus lockdown restrictions around the world are starting to ease, CNN reported.
Though restrictions have yet to be fully lifted, tourism is being encouraged on a limited basis in several nations due to how essential it is for many economies. This comes as the global economy has been battered by the pandemic, with many industries – tourism among the most notable – being hard-hit.
Several in the vicinity of Israel are among those opening up, specifically Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Greece and Cyprus.
Tourism is a major source of the Egyptian economy, bringing in around $1 billion in monthly revenue. Measures are slowly being relaxed in the country, but the government still enforces a mandatory mask-wearing rule and an 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew, CNN reported.
The current plan is to allow international flights to enter starting July 1, according to cabinet spokesman Nader Saad. In an interview last month, he said: "A number of global carriers have expressed willingness to resume flights to Egypt in July, and as a result we are considering a gradual resumption of international flights beginning towards the end of this month and in the first half of July."
Turkey is in a similar situation with regard to revenue, with tourism to the country having brought in $3.45b. in 2019, CNN reported. They currently plan to start receiving international visitors by the end of June.
The UAE's restrictions – which included a national sanitation program including a nighttime curfew across all seven emirates as well as a 24-hour lockdown in Dubai that required residents to get a police permit to leave their homes – are also gradually being lifted. Hotels around the country are opening to domestic tourists, albeit under several strict restrictions. Some restaurants and shopping malls have reopened so long as customers follow strict social distancing and sanitation regulations, CNN reported.
Now, the country's main airports are being reopened for connecting flights, though UAE-based airlines are to start flight schedules in the coming weeks, CNN reported.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Helal Al Marri, director-general of Dubai's Tourism and Commerce Marketing Department, expressed hope that tourists could return by July or September.
Cyprus is another notable country reopening its borders for tourists, and has already reopened hotels and international air travel.
Only tourists from specifically chosen countries will be allowed in, with a list of countries to be granted access.
The first countries to be authorized are Israel, Greece, Malta, Hungary, Slovakia, Germany, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Austria, Slovenia, Denmark, Norway and Finland.
Switzerland, Poland, Romania, Estonia, Croatia and the Czech Republic were approved later, on June 20.
According to CNN, there will be another 23 additional countries given authorization in the coming months, however, restrictions are still in place, with travelers needing a certificate proving they tested negative for the virus, and needing to submit to temperature checks on arrival and randomly throughout their stay, CNN reported. Other measures include sanitation and social-distancing.
Tourists need not be worried about being deported and stranded with no money should they test positive while on vacation. According to a letter shared with CNN, Cyprus has promised to completely cover the costs for tourists who test positive in the country.
The letter specified that the government will pay for lodging, food, drink and medications, as well as having set up a 100-bed hospital for tourists and a 500-room hotel for the patients' families.
"The traveler will only need to bear the cost of their airport transfer and repatriation flight, in collaboration with their agent and/or airline," the letter stated, according to CNN.
This drive to resume tourism makes sense, given that the industry contributes up to 15% of the Cypriot economy. Furthermore, it makes up almost 20% of the Greek economy, as well as being the source of one in every five jobs. The country had kept its total number of cases low due to strict lockdown measures implemented early on in the pandemic, and tourists from around 30 countries will soon be allowed to enter the country without being tested on arrival or go into quarantine.
One of these countries was Israel, and the subject was a major part of a recent visit on Tuesday by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
During the meeting, Netanyahu explained how important tourism, and by extension ties, is for the two countries.
“Over a million Israelis go to Greece every year,” Netanyahu said. “This is an expression of Israelis’ love for Greece.”
The two premiers have announced that August 1 will be the final date to restart tourism between the two countries depending on the number of cases.
Other countries reopening their doors include Spain, Italy, Aruba, Malta, Portugal, Thailand, Germany, Mexico, the Maldives, St. Lucia,  Jamaica, Iceland, Bali, France and Georgia, CNN reported.