In 2021, every third country has closed its borders to foreign tourists, Report informs, citing the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
The emergence of new coronavirus strains has stopped governments from lifting restrictions. Stringent rules are being applied in the Asia-Pacific region and Europe, according to the organization.
In particular, 69 of 217 destinations are entirely closed. Of these, 30 are in the Asia-Pacific region, 15 in Europe, 11 in Africa, 10 in the Americas, and three in the Middle East. Thirty-four countries are partially closed.
More and more states are demanding PCR COVID test certificates from inbound travelers, quarantining arrivals, and monitoring their routes for contact tracing. Now such requirements are in force in a third of countries, the UNWTO says.
Last year, international tourism decreased by 74 percent, while the export revenues from tourism declined by $1.3 trillion.