I came across this item today and it looks like travel is now possible to a few places, provided certain conditions are met......
If one travel operator is offering tours, it's likely that others will follow.
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7998 posts
A slight ray, although the footnotes about being vaccinated or testing negative might not cover every technicality for making a trip simple.
Another thread from a few days ago,
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/iceland/iceland-now-open-to-vaccinated-tourists , has generated a substantial number of responses. What vaccination documentation is sufficient for Iceland?
What if you book a tour to Egypt, and then some timing issue makes the PCR test unacceptable, but you’re at the airport in Egypt, but nowhere to go? Maybe you can get tested again at the airport, and the tour will wait??
Hope’s one thing, assurance is better.
Posted by
Myrtle Beach, USA
12315 posts
I hope we someday get back to being free to travel. A list of restrictions and requirements really doesn't do it for me.
Posted by
Magyarország / Rep of Texas
20489 posts
My ray of hope opened up when I did a bit of research and discovered in early February that these countries were open for US Tourism. Many are even hitting social media or have posted on their official sites encouragement to come.
Albania https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7tg80Fc6DM
Armenia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ-dm9YFy9w
Bosnia & Herzegovina https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teyVUYpva9k
Croatia
Georgia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXszgrp4YMc
Greece (soon?)
Iceland
Kosovo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EloVulrUFL8
Montenegro https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksRoiNKNMFM
North Macedonia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99S-msXlIrY
Serbia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDHpcAFSMr0
Turkey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKQdVm5MLWU
Ukraine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jufiUKMP_bY
To be optimistic (which I always am), that’s about 25% of Europe in count and in land mass.
Okay, so Paris isn’t on the list. Just think of backdoor travel as being to Europe as opposed to the backdoor of any particular country. I’ve been to most of them, and enjoyed those enough to want to return. So works for me.
As for PCR tests and vaccines. Neither are particularly hard to get where I live. Just the new norm for a while. Might be good if they keep it up for another year just to be sure. As for uncertainty, well, I learned how to do fully refundable or pay as you go travel. Again, no biggie. Looks like part of my May trip will be canceled due to a geopolitical situation. How do you plan for that? Just life. As long as there is a trip I will enjoy or get something out of under the prevailing circumstances, I am off. But if you cant find the enjoyment, yes, you should stay home. And that’s a just and reasonable choice.