Since the coronavirus was officially declared a pandemic in March of this year, tourist destinations around the world have been shut down and closed to visitors due to government lockdowns. While many experts still advise against non-essential travel, many locations are now planning to reopen this June.
ITALY
Italy suffered the deadliest outbreak in Europe, with over 230,000 cases and 31,000 deaths, leading to a nationwide lockdown from March 10 to May 4. The Italian government recently announced a plan to reopen international travel starting June 3, although this will be limited to European travelers only as the EU has banned all flights from outside the EU until June 15.
PORTUGAL
Portugal’s quick response to the outbreak helped them fare much better than some of their European neighbors. The country declared a state of emergency just 17 days after its first confirmed case and began easing lockdown restrictions in mid-May and has already allowed travelers to enter the country. Visitors will be subject to health checks at airports.
ICELAND
Iceland avoided implementing strict lockdown measures, choosing instead to focus on urging social distancing, contact tracing, and making COVID-19 tests available to all residents. Iceland’s prime minister aims to reopen the country to tourists by June 15 and will test all visitors.
ARUBA
Aruba, known as one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, announced its first two cases of coronavirus on March 13 and closed the country to all visitors from Europe two days later. The government has announced a plan to allow visitors back to the country sometime between June 15 and July 1.
GREECE
Greece’s early lockdown measures have contributed to its low number of coronavirus cases. Many local businesses have been reopened since early May and the country plans to reopen to tourists by mid-June.
Editor: May Thu Myint
