German residents who are considered fully immune to the coronavirus will no longer be subject to nightly curfews and restrictions on meeting people starting Sunday.
Anyone who has had both doses of the vaccine or who has recovered after falling ill will be able to meet with others in the same category in private without any restrictions.
The fully immune also won't need to show proof they tested negative to enter shops and be in quarantine after travel, except in specific cases — for example, if they enter from an area where a variant of the virus is rampant.
However, they will still be required to adhere to social distancing measures, including wearing masks in shops and on public transport.
Berlin's mayor Michael Müller admitted that it was going to be "damn difficult to check" whether people were exempt from the rules or not.
Müller urged people to carry proof of vaccination with them until the arrival of the European Union's planned digital vaccination certificates.
More than 31% of the population have received the first shot of vaccine and 8.8% have been fully vaccinated.
Here's a roundup of some of the other major COVID-related stories around the world on Sunday.
Europe
Germany has recorded 12,656 more cases, taking the overall number of infections to 3,520,329, data from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for Infectious Diseases showed on Sunday. The reported death toll rose by 127 to 84,775, the tally showed.
The seven-day incidence rate continued dropping, now at 118.6 cases per 100,000 people per week, down from 146.5 the previous week.
Spain has lifted a state of emergency in place since October to fight the pandemic, allowing Spaniards to travel between regions for the first time in months.
People headed to the streets to celebrate as soon as the emergency measure expired at midnight (2200 GMT/UTC Saturday).
While intra-regional travel bans have ended and curfews have been lifted, not all of the restrictions are being relaxed in Spain.
Regions can still restrict opening hours and impose capacity limits in bars and restaurants.
Italy is planning to lift quarantine restrictions for travelers arriving from European Union countries, Britain and Israel as early as mid-May in a bid to revive the tourism industry, said Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio in a Facebook post.
Traveling to Italy should be made easier for travelers who have been fully vaccinated against COVID, he said.
He added that he was working with the health minister to abolish the "mini-quarantine" for European Union citizens and travelers from Britain and Israel who have tested negative for the virus, were vaccinated or had recovered from COVID.
Visitors traveling to Italy from other EU countries currently have to test negative before traveling, spend five days in quarantine in the country and then take a second test.
Di Maio announced that rules for travelers arriving from the United States should also be relaxed in June.
Italy's case numbers have been falling recently and its vaccination campaign continues to make progress.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Cruise ships return to Venice
The cruise ship MSC Orchestra makes its way down the Giudecca Canal in the early morning. Early risers in Venice woke up on June 3, 2021 to the sight of a cruise ship sailing down the Giudecca Canal for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, despite the Italian governments' promises to reroute the huge ships due to safety and environmental concerns.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania reopens to tourists
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania will open its hotels to tourists from Germany on June 4. From June 11, day visitors to the northeast will also be able to return. Owners of vacation homes and boats, as well as long-term campers from outside the state, will already be allowed back on May 28. Tourists must present a negative coronavirus test upon arrival, which must be updated every three days.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Museums and cafés in France have reopened
For the first time in six and a half months, France’s cafés and restaurants are once again allowed to open their outdoor areas. As of Wednesday (May 19), non-essential businesses and department stores, as well as museums, cinemas, and theaters have also reopened. The nighttime curfew across all of France is now in effect from 9pm – two hours later than its previous start time.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Austria lifts quarantine requirement on entry
Austria from Wednesday (May 19) will allow entry from Germany without quarantine. Mandatory, however, remains a proof of vaccination, a negative test or full recovery from a COVID infection. "In many states, the infection rates are declining, so in parallel with the opening up steps in the country, we can also implement facilitation of entry into Austria," said Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Portugal lifts entry restrictions for EU citizens
Portugal is easing its entry restrictions for travelers from most EU countries. People from EU countries where the COVID-19 infection rate is below 500 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over a 14-day period will be allowed back into the country, even for "non-essential" purposes. However, testing is strictly mandatory.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
No parties in Mallorca this summer
Francina Armengol, the President of the Balearic Islands, has issued a preliminary rejection of any hopes for parties on the island of Mallorca this summer. “We can only start to allow places to open and nightlife to return once we have a higher vaccination rate”, Armengol said. Responsible tourism will be prioritized. “Nightlife will follow, but later, and probably not this summer.”
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Germany's annual Oktoberfest canceled again
Munich's Oktoberfest will be canceled for a second year in a row due to the coronavirus pandemic. The decision was made by Bavarian state Premier Markus Söder and Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter. "In the classic beer tents at the big festivals, social distancing, masks and other measures are practically impossible to implement," Söder said. Reiter said canceling the Oktoberfest again was a great pity.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Vatican Museums reopen
Following the third wave of the coronavirus in Italy, the Vatican Museums reopened on Monday (May 3). About 1,000 visitors registered for the first day alone, said Barbara Jatta, director of the museums. It was a "great joy" to finally no longer only be safeguarding the works of art, but also to be able to share them with others again, she said.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
USA intensifies global travel advice for COVID-19
The U.S. has heightened its travel warnings on account of the coronavirus pandemic, now additionally advising against travel to Germany and other EU countries – where the U.S. State Department's has applied its red-alert level. This represents the highest of its four risk-advisory levels for travel. At the third level, previously in force, the advice was only to reconsider any planned travel.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Israel open for tourists who have been vaccinated
Starting at the end of May, Israel wants to let tourists with a Covid-19 vaccination back into the country. Tourists will have to comply with the requirements, which include proof of vaccination and negative Covid-19 test results. After the pandemic broke out, Israel had effectively isolated itself, with foreign citizens only allowed into the country in exceptional cases.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Greece reopens for tourists from May 14
Starting May 14, Greece plans to open its borders to vacationers from EU countries as well as from some other countries such as Great Britain and Serbia, to save the domestic tourism sector. Travelers will be allowed to enter the country for a vacation without having to undergo quarantine. They will, however, require travelers to either be vaccinated or show a negative PCR test.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Vaccinated foreigners allowed to enter Croatia
As of April 1, foreign travellers are permitted to enter Croatia again if they can present evidence that they have been vaccinated against coronavirus. In addition, anyone who has a negative PCR test or an antigen test or can prove that they have recovered from Covid-19 within the past six months may also cross the borders. Before, you had to present a negative PCR test or quarantine for ten days.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Malta to reopen to tourists from June
Malta is rapidly progressing with COVID-19 vaccinations and plans to open to tourists on a large scale from June. The island is focusing primarily on outdoor activities such as scuba diving. A total of 20 million euros will be invested in the reopening. Air and sea passengers with vaccination passes will then be allowed into the country, while all others will still have to present a negative test.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Germany introduces general testing as entry requirement into the country
On March 22, the entry rules into Germany were tightened again. After tourist travel to Germany had already been made unfeasible due to the coronavirus pandemic, in future travelers returning to Germany will also have to have a COVID test before departure - irrespective of the infection situation in the country of departure. The Infection Protection Act is to be amended accordingly.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Vacation to Majorca possible again without quarantining
The German Foreign Office removed its travel warning for Majorca on Sunday (March 14). You can now visit Majorca again without needing to quarantine or take a test once you’ve returned to Germany. Bookings have increased significantly, and more flights are being added. The other Balearic islands as well as parts of the Spanish mainland are also no longer considered coronavirus risk regions.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Tourism industry pushes for an early open in Europe
Norbert Fiebig, president of the German Travel Association (DRV), has urged that it is "time for a coordinated approach to restore safe travel." He is counting on vaccination certificates and rapid coronavirus tests – strategies also promoted by politicians. The EU decided on February 25, for instance, to have introduced standardized vaccination passports for travelers by the summer.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Discussion over travel benefits for vaccinated people
Greece and Israel signed an agreement (Feb 9) to that will allow vaccinated tourists to travel between their two countries withthout restrictions. In Europe, whether vaccinated people should be the first to be allowed to travel again is controversial. While Germany is still reluctant, some countries already allow easier entry with a vaccination certificate, including Estonia, Poland and Iceland.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Tourism slumps worldwide
Just how disastrous the 2020 travel year was is made clear in the latest survey by the UN tourism organization UNWTO: 74% decline in global tourism worldwide, with over a hundred million jobs tied to it. Forecasts for 2021 also remain cautious in the face of travel restrictions. The emerging trends are home-based holidays, nature-based vacations, and more interest in sustainable travel.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Beijing cancels flights and trains for Chinese New Year
Hundreds of millions of Chinese are currently seeing their travel plans put on hold for the Chinese New Year on February 12, with flights and train services canceled on Thursday, especially in Beijing, at the start of the most important travel season of the year. Across the country, people are being asked to refrain from traveling to prevent a major outbreak that could lead to "massive lockdowns."
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Israel suspends international flights
Israel is largely suspending its international flights for nearly a week. The flight suspension goes into effect at 00:00 local time on Tuesday (Jan. 26) and will remain in effect until Sunday. The measure is intended to prevent coronavirus strains from entering the country. Up to 40 percent of new cases in Israel are due to the British COVID-19 mutation.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Tourists allowed back into Sri Lanka - under conditions
Ten months after the border closure, international tourists can travel to Sri Lanka again. As confirmed by officials on Monday (Jan 18), travelers will be able to re-enter the island from Jan. 21 if they comply with strict security regulations, present a negative PCR test and stay in a quarantine hotel for 14 days.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Pompeii reopens to visitors
Despite extended coronavirus restrictions in Italy, as of Monday (Jan 18), museums and exhibitions in some regions will be able to reopen. This rule applies to the so-called Yellow Zones, where the coronavirus infection situation is less tense. Among others, the Archaeological Park in Pompeii is again able to receive visitors because it is located in the yellow region of Campania.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Australians allowed quarentine-free travel to New Zealand again from 2021
New Zealand is setting up a "travel bubble" with neighboring Australia. After months of border closures due to the coronavirus pandemic, New Zealand will once again allow tourists from Australia to enter the country without quarantine requirements in the New Year. New Zealanders have been able to travel to Australia again since October without having to go into quarantine.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
After an eight-month break Aida Cruises launches cruise again
On Saturday (December 5) the first Aida cruise ship is scheduled to leave for a one-week trip to the Canary Islands. The ship, designed for 3300 passengers, will reportedly be 50 percent full. All passengers will need to provide a negative coronavirus test, no more than 72 hours old. On board, strict hygiene and distancing rules apply, and only guided shore excursions will be possible.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Australian airline to introduce obligatory vaccination
Australian airline Qantas wants to introduce compulsory vaccination for intercontinental flights. "We will require international travelers to be vaccinated before we allow them on board," Qantas CEO Alan Joyce stated. The general terms and conditions would be adjusted accordingly. Whether this will also be a requirement for domestic flights has not yet been decided.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Machu Picchu is open again
Machu Picchu, the ancient Inca city in the Peruvian Andes mountains, has reopened almost eight months after it was closed down due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Peruvian authorities organized an Inca ritual to mark the reopening. To allow for distancing, a maximum of 675 tourists per day are allowed to enter the old Inca city. That is less than a third of the normal number allowed.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Rio cancels its famous carnival parade for the first time in a century
Rio de Janeiro's famous annual Carnival spectacle will not go ahead in February. Organizers said the spread of the coronavirus in Brazil made it impossible to safely hold parades which with some seven million people celebrating are a cultural mainstay, tourism magnet and, for many, a source of livelihood. Brazil has the second highest death rate in the world after the United States and India.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Germany to enter a one-month lockdown
To curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic the German government has announced though new measures to start Monday, November 2. The new restrictions effect the travel business as overnight stays in hotels for tourist purposes will be banned, entertainment facilities such as theaters and cinemas will be closed as will bars and restaurants, which will only be allowed to offer take out services.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Nuremberg cancels Christmas market
The city announced on Monday (Oct.26) that this decision had been made in view of the rapidly increasing number of coronavirus cases. The mayor explained that it was to be assumed that in the near future the Covid-19 traffic light in Nuremberg will change to dark red. "Against this background, we think it would be the wrong signal to go ahead with the annual Christkindlesmarkt Christmas market.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Global cruise ship association to require coronavirus tests for all
The cruise industry has decided to make coronavirus testing mandatory for all guests and crew members aboard cruise ships. The Cruise Lines International Association, the world’s largest such organization, announced on October 8 that passengers can only board ships by providing proof of a negative test result. All member shipping companies worldwide must now comply with this rule.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
German government declares all of Belgium and Iceland risk areas
In the wake of significant increases in coronavirus infection figures in Europe, Berlin has announced further EU countries as risk areas for travelers. In addition to Belgium and Iceland, additional areas of France and Great Britain, including all of Northern Ireland and Wales, were also classified as risk areas on September 30.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Taj Mahal reopens for tourists
India's most famous building was closed for six months, but since Monday ( September 21) it can be visited again, under strict restrictions. Only 5000 online tickets will be issued per day. There are temperature checks at the entrance. Selfies are allowed, group photos are prohibited. The Taj Mahal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is normally visited by 8 million people every year.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Historical sales losses in global tourism
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the tourism sector has suffered a loss of 460 billion dollars (388 billion euros) from January to June, the World Tourism Organization reported in Madrid. The loss of sales was five times higher than during the international financial and economic crisis of 2009, and the total number of tourists worldwide fell by 65 percent in the first half of the year.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Berlin to start 'differentiated system' for travel warnings
The German government has extended its travel warning for around 160 countries through September 30. The advisory applies to "third countries" — i.e. countries that are not members of the EU or associated with the Schengen area. From October 1st, a "differentiated system" will apply, in which individual travel and safety information will be given for each country.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Australia's borders to stay shut into December
Australia has extended its travel restrictions for a further three months. The borders will remain closed for visitors from abroad until at least December 17. However, the government announced that domestic travel will soon be allowed for residents of the country. An exception will be the state of Victoria, with its metropolis Melbourne, for which a lockdown has been in place since early July.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Germany extends global travel warning
The German government has extended the travel warning for around 160 countries outside the European Union by two weeks until September 14. A spokeswoman for the German Foreign Ministry explained the move on Wednesday (Aug 26) with rising coronavirus infection rates. "The situation will not relax sufficiently by mid-September to be able to lift the worldwide travel warning," she said.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Compulsory COVID-19 tests on entry into Germany
Anyone entering Germany from a high-risk area must take a coronavirus test from August 8, after an order by Health Minister Jens Spahn. Currently, many countries are classified as risk areas, including the United States and Brazil. In the European Union, Luxembourg, the Belgian region of Antwerp and the Spanish regions of Aragon, Catalonia and Navarre were risk areas as of early August.
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Coronavirus: The consequences for tourism
Setback for cruise holidays
Norwegian cruise operator Hurtigruten has stopped all cruises on August 3 until further notice after an outbreak of the coronavirus on one of its ships. At least 40 passengers and crew members on the Roald Amundsen tested positive for COVID-19. Meanwhile, German cruise line Aida Cruises has also postponed its planned restart due to the lack of necessary permits.
Author: Andreas Kirchhoff, Susan Bonney-Cox
The European Union has not yet renewed orders for AstraZeneca jabs beyond June when the current contract ends, European Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said on Sunday.
The EU earlier said it had launched legal action against AstraZeneca over delayed deliveries.
Romania has turned its Bran Castle, the inspiration for Dracula into a mass coronavirus vaccination center.
The government has set up "marathon" coronavirus vaccine drives at several major venues to immunize as many citizens as possible.
Asia
Laos has reported its first COVID-19 related death. The victim was a 53-year-old Vietnamese woman who had underlying medical problems, including diabetes, local media cited health authorities as saying. The Southeast Asian country has identified only 1,302 infections since the pandemic began.
India's total COVID-19 cases rose by over 400,000 for the fourth consecutive day even as several states imposed strict lockdowns to curb the spread of the virus.
The Health Ministry reported 4,092 fatalities over the past 24 hours, taking the overall death toll to 242,362. Cases rose by 403,738, increasing the total since the start of the pandemic to 22.3 million.
In an interview with AFP, the World Health Organization's chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan said a COVID-19 variant spreading in India is more contagious and may be dodging vaccine protections, contributing to the country's explosive outbreak.
She warned that "the epidemiological features that we see in India today do indicate that it's an extremely rapidly spreading variant."
Swaminathan said the B.1.617 variant, which was first detected last October, was clearly a contributing factor to the catastrophe unfolding in her homeland.
The WHO recently listed B.1.617 — which counts several sub-lineages with slightly different mutations and characteristics — as a "variant of interest."
Bangladesh detected its first case of the highly infectious variant first identified in India, the country's health directorate said, prompting the government to keep its border sealed for another two weeks.
Six cases of the Indian variant had been detected in Bangladesh, Nasima Sultana, additional director general of the health directorate, told reporters.
In Pakistan, a virus variant first detected in the United Kingdom (B.1.1.7) now accounts for up to 70% of COVID-19 infections, said a research center studying the disease in the country.
Pakistan has imposed strict nationwide restrictions in the lead-up to the Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr next week in a bid to control a spike in cases, including banning public transport over the holiday period.
China will set up "a line of separation" at the summit of Mount Everest to prevent the interaction of climbers from COVID-hit Nepal and those ascending from the Tibetan side, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported on Sunday.
Since late April, the Everest base camp on the Nepalese side has been hit by COVID-19 cases.
Starved of tourism revenue, the Nepalese government has not yet canceled the spring climbing season — typically from April to early June before the monsoon rains.
Africa
South Africa's Health Ministry said four cases of the B.1.617 variant fuelling the devastating COVID surge in India had been recorded in the country.
Eleven cases of the B.1.1.7 variant first detected in the UK had also been found, the statement added, noting that community transmission of that variant had "already set in."
South Africa is at least the fourth country on the continent to pick up the B.1.617 variant, alongside Kenya, Uganda and Morocco.
Americas
In Guatemala, people took to the streets in the capital to demand the resignation of President Alejandro Giammattei, holding him responsible for a lack of COVID-19 vaccines in the country.
Since February, 658,200 vaccine doses have arrived in Guatemala, some purchased and some donated. The country has a population of more than 16 million.
For the protesters, the numbers reflect mismanagement and fuel suspicions of corruption.
Since March of last year, the Central American country has recorded 233,696 cases of COVID-19 and 7,695 deaths.
Oceania
New Zealand health officials cleared the way for quarantine-free flights to resume to the Australian city of Sydney as fears of a COVID outbreak in New South Wales state eased.
Flights were suspended on Thursday after two people in Sydney tested positive for the virus.
It was the third disruption since the quarantine-free travel bubble between New Zealand and Australia opened on April 18, almost 400 days after both closed their international borders due to the pandemic.
Middle East
Saudi Arabia will organize the pilgrimage to Mecca this year, but under special conditions to guard against the spread of the coronavirus, the Ministry of Pilgrimage announced on Sunday.
Local media reported that the measures and conditions would be announced later.
Last year, Saudi Arabia allowed a limited number of domestic pilgrim to perform the Hajj.
Israel's Health Minister Yuli Edelstein announced on Sunday that there were fewer than 1,000 active COVID-19 cases in Israel for the first time since March 2020.
There were more than 70,000 infections at the peak of the pandemic, Edelstein said.
The number of seriously ill COVID-19 patients has been less than 100 in Israel for the past week.
Edelstein contributed the drop in infections to the successful coronavirus vaccination campaign.
sri/mm (AP, AFP, Reuters, dpa)
