More countries are doing away with COVID-19 restrictions, although cases are ticking up in places like the U.K. and South Korea. That’s not stopping demand for international trips.
Tourists are looking at destinations such as Europe, New Zealand, Australia, and Japan, says Allison Pohle, Wall Street Journal travel reporter.
Ticket prices have risen about 7% every month, though higher gas costs might raise prices even more, she adds.
Each country has its own COVID requirements, but Pohle says that some areas have unified policies, including the EU.
“Before, a lot of countries were requiring proof of vaccination and a negative test in order to enter. A lot of those negative testing requirements are completely gone. So travelers don't need to worry about finding a test while they're in their destination a certain number of hours before they're planning on going. Those rules have largely gone away,” she explains.
Other countries have peeled back even more requirements. Pohle says to visit Aruba, visitors don’t need proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test result.
You can visit the CDC’s website to see the full list of countries they recommend against visiting, including Greece, Peru, and Italy. You can also visit the U.S. embassy website in whichever country you’re interested in for a list of COVID rules.
Coming back to America
Currently, travelers returning to the U.S., including from Mexico and Canada, need to show a negative COVID test.
“It might be a lot easier to get into some of these destinations. But there is still that requirement that you have to take a COVID test within one day of flying back, meaning there is still the risk of testing positive in another country.”
Pohle notes that people can travel with a rapid test, as long as it's proctored and can be verified by a third-party video service.