by Donald Wood
Last updated: 7:00 PM ET, Sun October 23, 2022
As more and more countries lift coronavirus-related travel restrictions, Americans have the most international destination options to visit since the pandemic started.
According to Bloomberg.com, there are 118 countries and territories that welcome travelers from the United States without COVID-19 vaccination requirements, while another 109 still require testing, quarantines or both for unvaccinated travelers.
Americans with a complete set of vaccine and booster shots can access 190 countries and territories without any testing restrictions. As a result, almost two-thirds of U.S. travelers are planning a trip during the next three months.
"Travelers are seeming more relaxed in recent months and I believe that having more access to destinations is one of the reasons for this," Julie Patterson of Wanderfully Planned said. "As more and more countries open up, travelers are feeling free to select the destinations they have long desired to visit, instead of having to choose from a more restricted list."
Earlier this month, Japan reopened to visa-free travel from dozens of countries around the world, eliminating its daily entry cap on tourist arrivals and making it easier for visitors to plan their own getaway to the country without a qualified booking through an approved travel agency or tour operator.
With the reopening of Japan, there are over 30 destinations that ended testing and isolation mandates over the last seven weeks, including Bhutan, the Bahamas, Canada and New Zealand.
"The shift in regulations is allowing advisors more opportunity to help clients plan the trip of their dreams to the destinations they are most excited about, making both parties very happy," Patterson continued.
With more and more destinations open for business, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced that it screened 2,494,757 airline passengers on October 16, the highest daily total since February 2020.
As for the cost of flights, data from the U.S. government showed that airfares rose over 40 percent in September compared to the same month in 2021, the fastest rate on record. Data also shows that ticket prices could reach record highs during the Thanksgiving and winter holiday travel periods.
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