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Explainer | As tourism reopens from Asia to Europe, here are the dos and don’ts of post-pandemic travel

  • Vaccinated travellers are likely to face fewer rules, though countries such as Switzerland have done away with restrictions altogether
  • Be prepared for differing rules on masks, remember to respect local customs – and try not to catch or spread Covid-19

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Tourists at Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn, in Bangkok. Photo: EPA-EFE

After two years of border closures replete with a host of quarantine and travel restrictions, free travel has finally returned, to most places, for the vaccinated.

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Those who choose to travel now will also benefit from many destinations’ removal of testing requirements, making at least some trips more convenient and less expensive than they were.

Reservations have surged to the point that Booking.com said April 2022 was the first month in which global room bookings exceeded 2019 levels.

Still, health protocols remain in many nations and the rules continue to shift. Here are some things to know when travelling post-pandemic.

Tourists arrive at Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali. Photo: EPA-EFE
Tourists arrive at Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali. Photo: EPA-EFE

Flight costs up, for now

With many governments lifting quarantine restrictions for vaccinated travellers, airline tickets are being snapped up quickly. This means flight prices have risen too.

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