Top Destination Travel News Stories From January 2022

The first month of 2022 saw a plethora of destination news headlines as many places updated entry protocols in response to this winter's Omicron surge. However, some destinations celebrated the end of COVID-19 restrictions while others announced encouraging visitation data for the previous year as well as exciting new developments. Here's a look at some of the biggest destination stories from the month of January.

Officials in Hawaii began the new year by announcing changes to the state's Safe Travels program, reducing the mandatory self-quarantine period for unvaccinated travelers or those arriving without a negative COVID-19 test from 10 to five days in response to updated guidance from the CDC. The state also did away with the requirement to complete the Safe Travels Health Questionnaire before departure and targeted February 18 as a possible start date for its impending COVID-19 booster shot requirement. New requirements for cruise ship passengers were also announced.

The Bahamas also updated its testing protocols for visitors in early January. The country announced that it would no longer require travelers to have a mandatory RT-PCR test as of January 7. Vaccinated travelers, as well as children ages 2-11, can continue to present either a negative Rapid Antigen Test or negative RT-PCR Test.

Israel reopened to international travelers on January 9. Fully vaccinated individuals must take a PCR test 72 hours before their outbound flight, complete a passenger declaration form and undergo another PCR test upon arrival. Unvaccinated travelers who have recovered from COVID-19 must present proof of a positive NAAT test at least 11 days prior to departure and those who have recovered from COVID-19 and have had one dose of a WHO-approved vaccine can also enter.

In Europe, both the United Kingdom and Ireland made it easier for international travelers to visit, loosening COVID-19 restrictions and lifting pre-travel testing requirements, respectively, in January. As of January 25, Ireland is allowing restaurants and bars to resume normal hours and has lifted restrictions on indoor and outdoor events, including sporting events. The U.K. will drop testing requirements for fully vaccinated travelers starting on February 11.

Japan will continue to enforce strict entry policies for U.S. travelers through at least February, requiring three- or six-day quarantine periods at government-designated facilities, the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Japan warned in January.

Thai officials announced plans to roll out a new $9 tourism fee in April that will be used to develop attractions and cover accident insurance for international visitors who are unable to cover costs themselves. "Part of the fee will be used to take care of tourists," Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Yuthasak Supasorn told Reuters. "We've encountered times when insurance didn't have coverage for tourists...which became our burden to take care of them."

In addition to the new tourism fee, Thailand revealed plans to ease travel restrictions on international visitors in January, announcing that fully vaccinated and recovered foreign travelers from all countries will be able to apply online for visas under the country's "Test & Go" or "Thailand Pass" program starting from February 1.

On January 26, Norway eliminated the 10-day quarantine requirement for U.S. travelers. "Travelers still need to get tested and complete entry registration upon arrival in Norway," the government confirmed. "The requirement of documentation of a negative test taken before arrival continues to apply to people who cannot produce a COVID-19 certificate showing that they are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19."

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority announced that Las Vegas hosted more than 32 million visitors in 2021, signaling an impressive rise from 19 million in pandemic-plagued 2020. The figure is also down just 24 percent from the pre-pandemic record of 42 million in 2019.

On January 15, the French government began requiring individuals to have received a COVID-19 booster shot no more than seven months after receiving the final injection of their first vaccination series or since being cleared of COVID-19 infection in order to be considered fully vaccinated and able to enter many indoor establishments such as bars, restaurants and shops.

The Turks and Caicos Islands announced updated entry requirements in late January. From January 24 through the end of February, all visitors and returning residents two years and older are required to test negative for COVID-19 prior to entry.

On January 20, the Cayman Islands entered a new phase of its strategic reopening, allowing children aged 11 and under to visit with accompanying adults who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of their vaccination status. What's more, officials shortened traveler quarantine requirements from 10 to seven days and revised testing protocols, requiring visitors to submit a lateral flow test (LFT) on days two, five and seven of their stay and eliminating the need for a test on the 10th day.

Singapore once again updated its inbound international travel policy in January, exempting travelers who are both fully vaccinated and recovered from COVID-19 within 90 days of their arrival from testing requirements.

On January 14, Ecuador came to an agreement with representatives of Colombia, Costa Rica and Panama to establish an expanded Marine Reserve extending northeast from the Galapagos through the three aforementioned countries to form an "ocean highway."