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Half the world has reopened to travel, Iata says

Operators
Gary Noakes
21 March 2022

Half the world’s top 50 air travel markets are now open to vaccinated travellers without quarantine or testing, Iata research has found.

Covid travel passes are now the only requirement in many countries (Credit: Iata)

A total of 25 markets representing 38% of 2019 international demand are now open without these restrictions, compared to 18 in February. In addition, 38 of the 50 are open with a testing requirement, compared to 28 last month.

Iata’s top 50 represented 88% of international demand in 2019. The organisation said its research highlighted stark regional differences, with only six of Asia Pacific’s top 16 markets open to travellers without quarantine.

Iata said: “Travel in Asia remains heavily compromised by Covid restrictions. While North American and European international traffic rebounded to -42% of their 2019 peaks last year, traffic in Asia Pacific remained at -88%.