Like the European digital certificatewhich came into force on 1st July In the last few years, governments have been taking steps to reconcile health safety and the smooth flow of travel as far as possible. Combined with the increase in vaccination campaigns worldwide, this development is leading to a slightly reassuring trend for business travellers: the gradual reopening of borders. The 10thWorld Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) published on 5 July is proof of this, even if major constraints remain.
According to the authors of the report entitled "Related Travel Restrictions - A Global Review for Tourism", " As of 1 June, 29 % of all destinations worldwide had their borders completely closed to international tourism. Of these, more than half have been completely closed to tourists since May 2020 or earlier. ". Nevertheless, it adds, " the majority of which are destinations for small island states in the development ofAsia-Pacific" . According to the UNWTO report, this region is the most restricted, with 70% of all destinations completely closed. Conversely, only 13% destinations in Europe are in this situation, 20% in the Americas, 19% in Africa and 31% in the Middle East. The UNWTO report notes in passing that only three destinations worldwide are completely open to foreign travellers: Albania, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.
While the ratio appears to be largely in favour of closed borders, the UNWTO report notes an overall trend towards greater flexibility. Between May 2020 and June 2021, the number of closed destinations fell steadily, in contrast to countries that were partially open, or limited to a testing and quarantine process.
Four of the top 10 issuing markets continue to advise their nationals against travelling abroad for other than compelling reasons
Nevertheless, according to the UNWTO, the measures put in place by governments are still largely blocking the resumption of international travel: " global tourism will struggle to recover as long as governments maintain their warnings ". The authors of the report add: " Four of the top 10 issuing markets continue to advise their nationals against travelling abroad for reasons other than compelling reasons (these four markets accounted for 25 % of total international arrivals in 2018) ".
