For Americans who enjoy traveling abroad, we have some unfortunate news for you, as of mid-July: 33 nations have now banned American tourism.
Most of the nation’s prohibiting U.S residents from entering are European. Throughout the current pandemic, the European Union has been biweekly reviewing trends of Coronavirus outbreaks, across the world, to see which nation were safest to admit travelers to enter from.
On July 1st, the European Union announced that their nations would begin lifting restrictions on international travel, welcoming visitors from 14 countries, including Canada and Australia. However, the good-old U.S.A was left off the list, because of the rapid spread of COVID-19 throughout the country.
According to John Hopkins University, America now leads the world in Coronavirus cases, with 4,431,339 positive tests and 150,937 deaths. These statistics are more than the entire European Union combined and make up an estimate of 1/4 of worldwide cases.
U.S Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo says, "We are in complex conversations around how to get the science and the epidemiology of this right and how to make sure that we reduce risk. We know there is a deep need and desire to get the global economy back going, and that involves people hopping on airplanes, traveling all across Europe and across the Atlantic, and indeed all around the world."
Meanwhile, for those looking for a quick get away to the Bahamas, it looks like that won’t be happening either. According to the Bahamas Prime Minister, Hubert Minnis, the country, off of Florida’s coast, has officially implemented a temporary halt on American tourism, until further notice.
Minnis says, “While there are countries that continue to make progress, such progress can be reversed because of what is happening in neighboring and other countries. We are in a marathon not a sprint… Like other nations that responded well at the outset of the pandemic, the Bahamas is working through the same balancing act. We are trying to get Bahamians back to work and to promote economic activity, while also limiting the spread of the virus.”
Both Canada and Mexico have closed their borders to any Americans hoping to take a short drive out of the country to our north or south. Only essential travelers, such as people going for work and/or education, or government and health officials, will be allowed to go back and forth from either nation.
Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, states "We recognize that the situation continues to be complex in the United States with regard to Covid-19. We are going to continue to keep Canadians safe and to keep our economy flowing."
Additionally, New Zealand, Japan, Canada, Mexico China have announced embargoes on travel from the U.S.
There are still some places the U.S tourists can still visit. Both Bermuda and Barbados have recently announced a one-year visa offer for travelers to work remotely. Most South American country has yet to close their borders to the U.S as well.
Meanwhile, England and Ireland are still free for American travelers, however, they must quarantine for at least two weeks upon arrival.
For more from American Retiree: https://www.americanretiree.com/post/british-seniors-still-rockin-even-thru-quarantine