Top Destination Travel News for May

Catch up on the destination news you might have missed this May…
Destinations have been celebrating some great news this May! From an accelerated recovery in Hawaii to the relaxation of entry requirements in countries like Italy and Greece, Morocco, the U.S. Virgin Islands and many more, destinations across the world are reopening their borders and are seeing a tourist boom in response. Flip through this slideshow to see the month’s biggest destinations news, and click the link on each slide to read the full story.

Thailand Is Now Open With No COVID-19 Testing, Quarantine Requirements for Vaccinated Travelers
As of May 1, fully vaccinated travelers heading to Thailand no longer need to adhere to any quarantine or COVID-19 testing measures, making it an easier choice for a perfect Asian vacation this summer.

Cancun, Riviera Maya Region Drop Mask Mandate
The Mexican state of Quintana Roo, in which Cancun and Riviera Maya are located, has dropped the last of its statewide mask mandate following decreasing cases of COVID-19.

Italy Says You Still Need to Mask Up at Some Indoor Venues Until Mid-June
Through at least June 15, travelers to Italy will still be required to wear masks in certain indoor venues, such as theaters, on public transportation and in hospitals and other medical care facilities.

New Zealand Welcomes First US Flight Arrivals After Over Two Years
May 1 saw the first American tourists arrive in New Zealand after two years! They were greeted by Maori welcome songs.

Italy and Greece Relax More COVID-19 Restrictions
Italy and Greece, two popular Mediterranean destinations, relaxed their entry requirements in anticipation of a summer international travel boom.

Spain Welcomes Major Influx of International Tourists
Proving that this year will see record numbers of international travelers across the globe, Spain reported earlier in May that its March arrivals hit record numbers, with about 4 million arrivals in that month alone!

Croatia Ends Pandemic-Related Entry Requirements
Travelers to Croatia no longer have to satisfy any pandemic-related entry requirements, effective May 1.

London Launches Largest International Tourism Campaign in US
London launched its biggest international campaign in the U.S., “Let’s Do London,” in May this year, spending $12.5 million to encourage Americans to visit the city.

Travel to Europe Ready for Take-Off This Summer
A new MMGY Travel Intelligence survey found that Americans are more excited about returning to Europe than they’ve been in years, despite the conflict in Ukraine.

New Zealand Fully Reopening to International Tourism in July
Days after New Zealand reopened to American travelers and travelers from about 50 other countries, the country announced it would reopen to cruising and all international travelers by the end of July.

Myanmar to Resume Issuing International Travel Visas
Myanmar resumed its issuing of traveler visas on May 15, making it easier for international travelers to enjoy traveling to the country.

Japan Offering Limited Test Tours Ahead of Full International Tourism Reopening
Japan announced in mid-May that it would begin welcoming a select handful of fully vaccinated travelers taking limited package tours to test for reopening later this summer. The travelers were expected to enter Japan sometime in June.

Israel Lifts Testing Requirements for International Travelers
Travelers to Israel will find it easier to enter the country after May 21, when it dropped its upon-arrival COVID-19 testing requirement.

CDC Updates US Travel Guidance with New Recommendations
The CDC has issued guidance for travelers enjoying a domestic vacation this Memorial Day Weekend; it recommends testing prior to travel and after their vacation has ended and wear a mask if traveling by air.

Research Shows European Summer Trips Return to Pre-Pandemic Levels
2022’s international arrivals to Europe might be catching up to pre-pandemic levels sooner than anticipated, according to new data by Squaremouth.com.

Barbados Removes Test Requirement for Vaccinated Travelers
Vaccinated travelers to Barbados will no longer have to test negative. The Prime Minister cited the pandemic’s near-devastation of the island’s tourist economy and the island’s 70 percent vaccination rate for the move.

Spain Relaxes Entry Restrictions for Unvaccinated Non-EU Travelers
On May 21, Spain relaxed its entry requirements for unvaccinated non-EU travelers, including Americans. They can now enter provided they test negative prior to arrival. Before this ruling, only recently recovered unvaccinated travelers could enter Spain.

US News & World Report Reveals Best Vacation Rankings for 2022-23
Curious to see the world’s best places to visit this year? The U.S. News & World Report shared its Best Vacation rankings for 2022 and 2023!

Morocco Loosens COVID-19 Travel Restrictions
Fully vaccinated travelers heading to Morocco this summer can enjoy no longer being required to produce a recent negative COVID-19 test to gain entry into the country, following an announcement made May 17.

US Virgin Islands Removes All COVID-19 Restrictions for Domestic Travelers
Travelers to the U.S. Virgin Islands can enjoy the end of any pandemic-era entry requirements and restrictions beginning May 31, so long as they are coming directly from the U.S. mainland or other U.S. territory. Entry requirements still apply for international travelers and Americans entering the islands from a different country.

Hawaii Tourism Sees Accelerated Recovery This Spring
Hawaii’s visitor numbers nearly reached pre-pandemic levels this level, as was reported in May. It welcomed over 818,000 visitors in April 2022, at just 3.7 percent lower than April 2019’s visitor numbers.

Germany Easing COVID-19 Travel Restrictions From June 1
Germany announced recently that effective June 1, it would suspend its 3G entry requirement rule requiring either proof of full vaccination, proof of recent recovery from COVID-19 or a recent negative COVID-19 test to gain entry into the country. The suspension will be in place through the end of August to welcome the anticipated summer tourist boom.