Category: Top Stories

Residents of Malta will be given 100 euro (US$112) vouchers by the government to spend in bars, hotels and restaurants in an effort to revitalise the tourist industry, news agency Reuters has reported. Tourism accounts for a quarter of the Mediterranean island’s GDP but it has been at a standstill since mid-March when flights were stopped during the coronavirus emergency. Flights to a small number of countries will resume on July 1 but they exclude big tourism source markets Britain and Italy (except Sicily). Prime Minister Robert Abela said in a statement a monthly wage subsidy of 800 euros per worker ... Read more

The world is today a slow coach. The coronavirus crisis has helped people to stop and think. Tourism destinations worldwide are pausing to reflect on their business models and Amsterdam is one among them. Last year, 19 million tourists visited Amsterdam bringing in more than 6 billion euros ($6.8 billion) in revenue, according to a Bloomberg report. But the city is facing an existential crisis. In a way, Amsterdam has been over-run by tourism. There is no other way to put it. International visitors come into the city in large numbers during peak season and locals often feel side-lined. Not ... Read more

Hundreds of Germans landed on the Spanish island of Mallorca on Monday, the first tourists allowed into the country since borders were shut in March to tackle the coronavirus pandemic. More than 1,500 German holidaymakers are expected in the Balearic Islands as part of a pilot project that will open up a sector that accounts for 12% of Spain’s economy, before restrictions are eased next week. According to a Reuters report, visitors’ temperatures were taken at the airport and regional leader Francina Armengol said they must follow health and safety rules. “This virus is still infecting, still killing people all ... Read more

All travellers entering Singapore from 11.59pm, June 17, will be tested for COVID-19, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has said. The test will be scheduled a few days before the end of the 14-day stay-home notice period, at an allotted testing facility, MOH said in a press release.  Each person under a stay-home notice will receive information on the scheduled appointment slot and venue via an SMS notification. All inbound and outbound travellers who enter or leave Singapore from 11.59pm on June 17 will also be required to pay for their COVID-19 tests, and those who are not Singaporeans or PRs entering the country will need to foot ... Read more

Turkish Airlines will resume flights to China and the United States from June 19, the airline announced, after the pandemic shuttered international travel in March. The airline’s chief executive Bilal Eksi said three flights a week to Chicago and Washington D.C. will be in operation starting June 19 and to Los Angeles from June 24. The airline also announced it will start a weekly flight to Shanghai from June 19 and two weekly flights each to Hong Kong and Seoul from June 24. The airline has already restarted flights to Britain, Germany and the Netherlands. Established in 1933, Turkish Airlines ... Read more

Foreign visitors have begun to get back to the white sands and warm waters of Mexico’s Caribbean coast. The resort town of Cancun is especially in demand, despite Mexico reporting record infection levels in recent days. Cancun’s Hard Rock Hotel re-opened on June 8 along with 16 other beachside resorts. All of these resorts have installed hand sanitizer stations, ramped up cleaning and are enforcing distancing rules at the pool and beach areas. Although hotels can allow guests into the water, public beaches remain closed. “The most important thing right now is to revive the state’s economy, but we have ... Read more

Greek tourism minister Haris Theoharis has said the ministry has made accessibility for people with disabilities in tourism a priority issue. For the first time the tourism ministry will establish an accessible tourism committee, where the goal is to map out all problems relating to accessibility issues in tourist accommodation, cultural spaces, etc, news agency AP has reported. The minister also noted that the tourism ministry is cooperating with the digital policy ministry on the creation of a website with information on accessible accommodation in Greece and any services that are useful for people with disabilities. Addressing entrepreneurs who have ... Read more

Spain will reopen its borders with Schengen zone countries on June 21, except for its border with Portugal. Earlier, the plan was to open its borders on July 1. The decision was announced on Sunday by Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sanchez, at the weekly video conference with regional presidents, that have been regularly held since the coronavirus outbreak. The Spain-Portugal border will only be opened on July 1. The EU Commission has recommended a lifting of internal border controls in the Schengen area from June 15. As cases and deaths have decreased, Spain has been slowly removing the strict measures ... Read more

China has decided to introduce the Seventh Freedom of the Air on a trial basis in the Hainan Free Trade Port, in the southernmost tropical island province. This move allows foreign carriers to operate flights between two other countries, without the need to touch down in the airline’s home country, CGTN has reported. For example, under the Seventh Freedom, the US could operate flights directly from Haikou, the capital city of Hainan Province, to Tokyo, Japan, and Air France could transport passengers from Sanya, Hainan to Los Angeles, US. The freedoms of the air are a set of commercial aviation ... Read more

The safety of tourists is a top priority for Greece as it reopens its airports to foreign visitors, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has said. He was on a visit to the popular holiday island of Santorini. International flights to and from the country’s main airports will resume on June 15, after a nearly three-month lockdown. Accounting for about 20% of Greece’s economic output, tourism is vital for the Mediterranean nation, which emerged from a decade-long debt crisis in 2018. “It is a great pleasure to be here in Santorini… to send a message: Greece is ready to welcome tourists this ... Read more

SeaWorld Entertainment, one of the world’s leading theme park and entertainment companies, has announced a phased reopening of SeaWorld San Antonio on Friday, June 19.The reopening of the park will include enhanced health and safety protocols for cleaning and sanitizing, physical distancing, face covering requirements, and temperature screening. A new online reservation system will also help manage capacity so that guests can enjoy a safe and fun experience while maintaining physical distancing. The phased reopening plan was approved by the State of Texas.”We thank Governor Abbott, Representative Cortez, and San Antonio Mayor Nirenberg for their support of tourism in Texas ... Read more

From June 15, people from low-risk areas in the Nordic countries will be permitted to enter Norway with no quarantine requirement. Citizens of Denmark, Finland and Iceland can enter Norway from that date without quarantine. Most citizens of Sweden remain excluded. Norwegian prime minister Erna Solberg warned that everyone should expect travel restrictions to last for some time: “Let me emphasize, this is not just about where to spend the summer vacation. We must plan for travel restrictions to last for some time. There can be new outbreaks of infection in different places before there is a vaccine.” The Norwegian government does ... Read more

Qatar Airways will soon announce special offers including arranging stay at hotels for quarantine purposes. “Qatar Airways will soon announce special offers that will include price of tickets and stay at 5, 4 or 3 star hotels for the purposes of quarantine,” Salam Al Shawa, Senior Vice President Marketing & Corporate Communications for Qatar Airways said in tweet. The returning passenger can fly Qatar Airways or any other airline, but will have to make the hotel booking directly with Discover Qatar for a stay at an approved quarantine hotel. They can’t book a hotel directly. The assistant foreign minister and ... Read more

Sri Lanka has cleared a proposal to offer concessionary loans to the hospitality and travel sector to pay salaries during the Coronavirus epidemic. Hotels and travel agencies, registered with the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), would be allowed to get a 5-year loan at a 4% interest rate, to pay a Rs 20,000 salary to each worker for up to 6 months. The loan could be repaid in 5 years with a 2-year grace period, Economy Next has reported. Tourism related firms registered with the SLTDA including restaurants, spas, wellness centres would be given a credit facility to pay ... Read more

This guide by the British government will help you understand how to travel safely during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. It provides guidance for walking, cycling, using private vehicles (for example cars and vans), and travelling by taxis and public transport (for example trains, buses, coaches and ferries). You should avoid using public transport where possible. Instead try to walk, cycle, or drive. If you do travel, thinking carefully about the times, routes and ways you travel will mean we will all have more space to stay safe. Is your journey necessary? To help keep yourself and your fellow passengers safe, ... Read more