International Travel Ban Ends

HI INDIA NEWS DESK
NEWYORK, NY — Families separated by oceans reunited. International tourists flocking to iconic New York City destinations. Hotels humming with the sound of other tongues. A world city reawakening.

The end of a coronavirus pandemic travel ban means all those things — and more — for New York City.

International travel returned in full force Monday to the city and the United States. Thousands of tourists and travelers are expected to arrive in the coming days and weeks, Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

” We have been waiting now for a long, long time — 18 months, in fact — for the restrictions to be lifted, so travelers from other countries could come back to New York City,” he said Tuesday.

So what exactly does this mean for the city? Here’s a quick breakdown.

The change Monday effectively lifted an extended travel ban on tourists from 33 countries, including European Union members, China, India, and Iran, the Associated Press reported. It also reopens land borders to Canada and Mexico.

People can visit the United States so long as they’re fully vaccinated against the coronavirus and have had a negative COVID-19 test within three days of travel.
Restrictions remain for unvaccinated travelers and those who received a vaccine not approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization.

The rule means millions of people who were vaccinated with Russia’s Sputnik V, China’s CanSino or other shots not approved by the WHO will not be able to travel to the U.S.

Also, children under 18 don’t need to be vaccinated but will need to take a COVID-19 test. Those who are 2 and younger are exempt from testing.
New York City is the nation’s number one destination for international travel, said Fred Dixon, president, and CEO of NYC + Company, the city’s marketing company.

International tourists make up 20 percent of total visitors to the city, but account for 50 percent of spending and hotel nights, Dixon said.

“International travelers tend to stay longer, on average six-and-a-half nights and spend more,” he said. “It takes the spending of four domestic travelers to equal the spending of one international traveler.”

Dixon said those travelers’ return will help revive the city’s tourism industry, which cratered overnight as the coronavirus pandemic struck. Roughly 20 million tourists visited the city in 2019 — during all of 2020 only 4 million did so.

British Airways sent the first of many international flights to New York City from London on Monday, prompting a spate of tearful reunions at New York City area airports.

Dixon said flights for the reopening jumped 11 percent over a similar day in October.

De Blasio said hotel bookings are up “intensely.”

“We’re seeing more and more foot track that in key parts of the city: Fifth Avenue, Times Square,” he said. “We’re seeing tourists come out. They’re ready to spend their money in the city.”

The holidays always draw travelers, and those coming from other countries are no exception. Dixon said New York City is the most destination for international travelers during the holiday season.

Tourism officials plan to entice travelers back from the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, Italy, Brazil, South Korea and other key area through a targeted marketing campaign, Dixon said.