Top Destination News From December

December came with a lot of news, from new and tighter entry restrictions for destinations worldwide to new insights surrounding incredible destinations like Antarctica and Japan. Read on to see what you might've missed this month.

Brazil has resumed privatizing its national parks in an effort to continue modernizing its parks while allowing the buyers to pay for the parks' upkeep, a system that began in the 1990s and was halted during the first year and a half of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fiji reopened its borders earlier this month for visitors from a list of forty approved countries, including the United States. The country has reopened following its population's 90 percent vaccination rate.

Ecuador has revised its entry requirements for all international travelers to the country, including to the Galapagos Islands, due to the Omicron variant. Everyone must be fully vaccinated and have tested negative up to 72 hours prior to arrival. Failure to comply with the new testing requirement means that travelers will undergo testing at the airport as well as a required quarantine period.

The U.K. tightened entry requirements for travelers from a number of countries, including from the U.S., due to the Omicron variant earlier this month. Everyone over twelve, no matter their vaccine status, must test negative at most 48 hours prior to departure.

Antarctica has become a hugely popular expedition cruise destination this past year. This article details why, and what cruise lines are doing to help more travelers reach the mysterious continent.

NYC & Company has unveiled a new guide to the multicultural metropolis: The Asian Experience in New York City. Travelers can now search throughout NYC's Asian communities for restaurants, businesses and attractions, allowing them to find more detailed and personalized information on the different neighborhoods, which include more than the famous Chinatown.

The US Virgin Islands has clarified its requirements earlier this month following the United States' new return rule, that everyone returning from international travel must test 24 hours prior to departure. Travelers leaving the US Virgin Islands for the U.S. do not need to follow this new entry requirement.

Earlier this month, St. Kitts and Nevis revised its entry requirements for fully vaccinated travelers. They no longer need to undergo a 24-hour quarantine or take a COVID-19 test to enter.

The beautiful Mediterranean country of Croatia has been admitted into the Schengen Zone, making travel to the country much easier for millions.

Brazil announced that travelers will now need to be fully vaccinated in order to enter the country, which surprised many as the country's president has been stunningly against vaccine mandates and vaccines since the beginning of the pandemic.

The Alaska Travel Industry Association has been awarded over $10 million from the U.S. Department of Economic Development Administration (EDA) to help the tourism industry of that state, which had been hit the hardest out of any other state in the nation.

Greece has changed its entry requirements to include a pre-arrival COVID-19 test to be done 48 hours from arrival, which began for everyone older than 12 years on December 19.

Beginning December 17, the Cayman Islands now requires travelers entering the islands to test negative for coronavirus 24 hours prior to departure for the islands, again due to the Omicron variant.

Curious about Colombia? A new Q&A with the Vice President of ProColombia explains everything from air connectivity to the pandemic restrictions and more.

Thailand has suspended its Thailand Pass program, which provides travelers with quarantine-free entry into the country, due to the new Omicron variant.

New York City, San Francisco, Chicago. More cities than ever before are returning to pandemic protocols or are writing new ones for the New Year, including vaccination mandates to enter indoor attractions like bars and restaurants.

Jamaica is now considered a Level 2 travel risk, according to the CDC's new guidance. It's considered a less risky country to travel than 70 percent of the rest of the countries in the world due to lower COVID-19 numbers.

The Bahamas, like many destinations this month, has shortened its required COVID-19 pre-testing window from five days to 72 hours due to the Omicron variant.

Beginning January 15, 2022, our nation's capital will require everyone over 12 years of age to be fully vaccinated in order to enter restaurants, fitness centers, attractions and event spaces, except for grocery stores, museums and places of worship.

Curious about traveling to Japan? Its many culturally rich, smaller cities offer incredible opportunities for day trips to enjoy things like Mount Fuji, some of the oldest hot spring baths in Japan and so much more!