Since the US President Joe Bidenthe number of initiatives for a reopening of the United States to international travellers. Last week, American airlines and travel agencies urged the government to draw up a plan to reopen international borders. Provided that the number of vaccinations and cases of covid continues to develop favourably.
Reuters reports that Jeffrey Zients, White House covid-19 coordinatorhas received a letter to this effect. It is signed by the association "Airlines for America, the American Chamber of Commerce and the US Travel Association. The group stresses in the letter that ". the time has come to plan and draw up a roadmap for reopening international travel. "
For the past year, the United States has banned travel from Great Britain, Europe, Brazil, China and South Africa following the pandemic. A decision that devastated a rather prosperous air transport and travel industry. The decline in international travel in 2020 resulted in a loss of 146 billion dollars for the US economy. And it could cost 1.1 million American jobs by the end of the year if this situation continues.
The industry believes that the resumption of international travel should be on the agenda of the G-7 meeting in June. They have called for rapid bilateral negotiations to ease restrictions through " travel corridors" .
Summer 2021 targeted for reopening to international travellers
The tourism and transport industry wants to finalisation of the future roadmap before 1 May. Analysing the risks and data on the pandemic, the industry hopes to a reopening of international travel to and from the United States during the summer of 2021.
The roadmap should confirm that screening tests for international travellers will continue. Except for passengers who have already been vaccinated. The industry points out that the government should not, however, require vaccinations as a precondition for travel.
The American President believes that parity in vaccination between the United States and other countries in the world would allow this to happen. The United States has undertaken a massive vaccination campaign for its population. Last week, the country had already administered 125 million doses of the vaccine.. That's more than a third of the country's total population.
This vaccination is already leading to an upturn in domestic travel. And this, despite unfavourable advice from the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention for non-essential travel.
A summer reopening would come at the same time as the European Union Digital Green Certificate and IATA Travel Pass. Le Canada is likely to be the first country to benefit from the lifting of restrictions.
