Travel
No early return for UK tourists, says Spain
Monitoring Desk BARCELONA: Spain’s tourism minister has cast doubt on the prospect of an early return by UK holidaymakers to Spanish beaches. María Reyes Maroto said British coronavirus figures “still have to improve” before Spain could receive tourists from the UK. Last week, the Spanish government said foreign visitors would no longer have to undergo…
Read MoreSaudi Arabia to reopen AlUla cultural and heritage site for tourist in October
Monitoring Desk JEDDAH: When you’re already a quarter-of-a-million years old, a few months out of action because of a coronavirus pandemic is no more than a blip in time. It is therefore safe to say that when visitors return to AlUla, the culture and heritage destination in northwest Saudi Arabia, not a lot will have…
Read MoreTravel restrictions: Why is UK quarantine at odds with Europe, asks global air travel alliance
Monitoring Desk LONDON: Opposition to the Government’s travel quarantine plans is growing ahead of its introduction next week, with a senior member of IATA, the global air travel body, asking why the UK’s strategy is at odds with the rest of Europe. Rafael Schvartzman, regional vice president of Europe for IATA, said the holiday opportunities…
Read MoreGermany only one of Greece’s big tourist markets on list of approved flights
Monitoring Desk ATHENS: Greece announced on Friday that it would be opening its borders to tourists from 29 countries on June 15, although Germany is the only country from the list of the five key markets for Greece’s tourism sector, as the UK, Italy, France and the US continue to have high rates of coronavirus…
Read MoreWhich European countries are open for summer tourism?
Germany Some border crossings with neighbors Austria, Switzerland, and France began to open on May 16 under tightly controlled conditions, with June 15 set as the date to fully relax borders and restrictions on inter-EU travel. Germany also lifted its strict border controls with Luxembourg on the same day. A similar deal with Denmark has…
Read MoreCyprus to pay holiday costs of coronavirus infected tourists
Monitoring Desk ATHENS: Cyprus has pledged to cover the holiday costs of anyone who tests positive for the virus after travelling there. In a letter made public on Wednesday, the government said it would pay for accommodation, medicine and food for patients and their families. Tourists “will only need to bear the cost of their…
Read MoreWhy Thailand isn’t reopening to international tourists yet
Monitoring Desk BANGKOK: With news that many countries in Europe are reopening to tourism in time for summer, travelers with their sights set on Asia are anxiously awaiting word on when they’ll be given the green light to visit their favorite destination. As of now, those with Thailand in mind will need to wait at…
Read MorePre-travel tests of little use against virus spread
Monitoring Desk BRUSSELS: Border closures do little to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the European Union’s public health agency said, as EU states weigh lifting some travel restrictions imposed at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in Europe. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said measures such as testing travellers before departure…
Read MoreCoronavirus outbreak: Caribbean tourism struggles as visitors stay home
Monitoring Desk CARIBBEAN: Seagulls are the only ones using the pool at a resort fringing one of Antigua’s most popular beaches. They have the place all to themselves, save for a solitary security guard surveying the empty terrace usually abuzz with families. Above, the bright blue sky is devoid of the aeroplanes ordinarily flitting back…
Read MoreLATAM Airlines Files for Bankruptcy in the US
Monitoring Desk WASHINGTON: According to the airline, it had to scale back its operations by 95 percent amid the collapse in global travel. Per the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Latin American company could face a $15 billion loss in revenue this year. LATAM announced bankruptcy in the United States on Tuesday, stressing, however,…
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