USA. In a huge boost to the prospects of recovery for the travel industry, the US government will allow fully vaccinated foreign visitors to enter the country from early November. Restrictions have been in place for around 18 months.
A White House spokesman said today that travellers from anywhere in the world would be able to visit the US once they could show proof of vaccination and provide a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days of travel.
Since last year, only US citizens, residents and foreigners with certain exemptions have been allowed to enter the country.
Jeff Zients, who leads The White House’s COVID-19 response, said: “Requiring foreign nationals travelling to the United States be fully vaccinated is based on public health. This is based on individuals rather than a country-based approach.”
International Airlines Group (parent of British Airways (BA) and Iberia) shares climbed more than +11% today; BA in particular relies heavily on transatlantic traffic for revenue and profits.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) welcomed the decision by the Biden Administration. Importantly, noted IATA, this supersedes the so-called 212f restrictions which prevented anyone from entering the US if they had been in 33 specific countries including the UK, Ireland, all Schengen countries, Brazil, South Africa, India, and China within the last 14 days.
IATA Director General Willie Walsh said: “Today’s announcement is a major step forward. Allowing access to the US for those vaccinated will open travel to the US for many who have been locked out for the past 18 months. This is excellent news for families and loved ones who have suffered through the heartache and loneliness of separation. It’s good for the millions of livelihoods in the US that depend on global tourism. And it will boost the economic recovery by enabling some key business travel markets.”
He added: “This announcement marks a key shift in managing the risks of COVID-19 from blanket considerations at the national level to assessment of individual risk. The next challenge is finding a system to manage the risks for travellers who do not have access to vaccinations. Data points to testing as a solution. But it is also critical that governments accelerate the global rollout of vaccines and agree a global framework for travel where testing resources are focused on unvaccinated travellers. We must get back to a situation where the freedom to travel is available to all.”
