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Travellers from the UAE can now fly to more than a dozen countries without undergoing quarantine upon arrival, according to Emirates.
The UAE-based carrier also said on Sunday that it will further expand its network and operate more than 280 weekly flights from the UAE to various destinations in Europe, the United States, Middle East and Africa starting from July.
“UAE travellers planning their summer getaways can now choose from over 30 cities in 19 countries… that have opened their doors for tourism and business,” the airline said in a statement. “More countries are taking steps towards opening their borders for travel and tourism to and from the UAE, as vaccination programmes advance and protocols for safe travel are implemented.
Travel demand is forecast to pick up as soon as countries begin lifting travel restrictions and reopen for international tourists. International traffic has been severely affected by COVID-19 precautionary measures that include quarantine and border closures.
Where to travel
In Europe, Emirates said travellers can enjoy quarantine-free travel to Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Russia, Turkey, Spain and France starting from June 9. In the Middle East, quarantine-free destinations include Jordan, Lebanon, Bahrain and Egypt.
Other countries included in the quarantine-free list are The Maldives, Seychelles, Phuket, Kenya, Tanzania, Morocco, US and Mexico.
The long-haul operator, which grounded most of its fleet last year, will be adding flights to various destinations, including Miami, New York and Los Angeles this summer. The airline also plans to resume services to Mexico City from July 2.
Air traffic plummeted to around 90 percent during the early stage of the coronavirus pandemic, leaving most of the world’s carriers in financial distress.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has forecast that global passenger numbers will recover to 52 percent of pre-COVID-19 levels this year. By 2023, numbers are expected to surpass 2019 levels.
(Writing by Cleofe Maceda; editing by Seban Scaria)
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