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World

Chinese are angry at South Korea and Japan

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Travel restrictions launched in the wake of China’s border reopening may be affecting where people there are booking trips.

But it’s not out of spite, said several Chinese travelers who spoke to CNBC.

It’s because some countries aren’t letting them in easily, they said.

‘I think it’s unfair’

Reactions from Chinese travelers who spoke to CNBC were varied, ranging from indifference to confusion to anger.

“Of course, I think it’s unfair,” said one citizen, who asked to be called Bonnie. “But at the same time, we understand what’s going on.”

So far, more than a dozen countries have announced new rules for travelers departing from China. Last week, the European Union recommended that its members require Chinese travelers to take Covid tests before entering.

But Covid tests aren’t the problem, Shaun Rein, managing director of China Market Research Group, told “Squawk Box Asia” on Monday. It’s that “these policies are directed only towards mainland Chinese,” he said.

South African Mansoor Mohamed, who lives in China, agreed. “It is relatively easy and cheap to do a Covid test in China, so it will not affect my travel planning,” he said.

“However, I know that many patriotic Chinese colleagues and friends will avoid those countries for now because the practice of only testing passengers arriving from China is discriminatory,” he said.

Of course, China requires travelers to test negative before entering China, and has for three years.

The difference, Mohamed said, is that “every arrival [to China], including Chinese nationals … [is] subjected to the same rules.”

Where the Chinese are going

Gao Dan told CNBC she is planning to travel out of the province of Qinghai for the first time in more than two years. But she said she’s staying in China, adding that she “hasn’t looked into what other countries’ travel policies are,” according to a CNBC translation.

Others are booking trips abroad, but some not to their first-choice destinations — namely Japan and South Korea.

One traveler, named Bonnie, told CNBC her friends in China are going to Thailand rather than South Korea, even though “they wouldn’t have considered Thailand” before.

Tuul & Bruno Morandi | The Image Bank | Getty Images

“When China said they were opening the borders in January, all my friends said they’re going to Japan and Korea,” said Bonnie.

But they couldn’t get visas, she said. “So they are now going to Thailand.”   

Rein said Chinese travelers are now headed to Singapore and Thailand because “both countries are welcoming us.”

Of the top destinations Chinese nationals searched after the border reopening announcement, those are the only two that haven’t imposed new restrictions on incoming Chinese travelers.

Data shows search interest for outbound flights from mainland China rose by 83% in the 11 days after the announcement, compared with the 14 days before it, according to data from Trip.com Group.

During this period, search interest for Thailand and Singapore grew by 176% and 93%, respectively, according to the company.

Angrier at some more than others

Chinese officials called the rules from South Korea and others “excessive” and “discriminatory.”

But South Korea refutes claims of discrimination. Seung-ho Choi, a deputy director at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, pointed out to CNBC that the country’s rules apply to “Korean nationals and non-Korean nationals coming from China. … There is no discrimination for nationality in this measure.”

“China’s Covid situation is still worsening,” he said. The number of people traveling from China to Korea who tested positive for Covid-19 went up 14 times from November to December, he said.

The Prime Minister’s Office of Japan did not respond to CNBC’s request for comment. A representative at Japan’s Embassy in Singapore told CNBC that Japan is processing Chinese travel visa requests as usual.

Citing a discrepancy in infection information from China, Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters on Dec. 27: “In order to avoid a sharp increase in the influx of new cases into the country, we are focusing efforts on entry inspections and airports,” according to an article published by Nikkei Asia.

Both Japan and South Korea have taken conservative stances toward the Covid pandemic.

Japan, in particular, has been sluggish to bounce back to pre-pandemic life, with residents showing little enthusiasm when its own border fully reopened in October 2022.  

‘A political issue’

Rein told “Squawk Box Asia” that the rules are not just about tourism.

“This is a political issue,” he said, adding that he expects Japanese stocks to be affected, singling out two cosmetics names.

Read more about China’s reopening

“I would be cautious on Shiseido. I’d be cautious on Kose, because there are going to be some boycotts,” he said. Shares of Kose were lower on the Tokyo stock exchange on Tuesday, but Shiseido was higher.

Rein said animosity toward South Korea and Japan will be short-lived.

“It’ll take about three months for the anger to dissipate,” he said. “There’s going to be massive revenge travel outside to Korea to Japan — if those two countries treat Chinese properly.”

New Zealander Darren Straker, who lives and works in Shanghai, said he, too, believes the policies are politically motivated, calling them a “last sad gasp [as] the Covid geopolitical door closes.”



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World

Pack these snacks, says nutritionist

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Travelers have a host of pathogens to dodge this winter, including the “tripledemic” of infections caused by Covid-19, flu and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus).

But there are steps people can take to reduce their chances of getting sick, say health specialists at Spain’s SHA Wellness Clinic.

The key is to develop “a resilient immune system that can defend itself from attack by viruses and bacteria,” said Dr. Vicente Mera, SHA’s head of genomic medicine.

What to eat

“The most important thing is nutrition,” Mera said.

But drastic dieting isn’t necessary, he added. Rather, travelers can simply eat whole, plant-based foods, which can help decrease inflammation, he said.

Fiber in plant-based foods also helps the gut microbiome “fight pathogens that enter or are activated through the digestive tract,” he said.

Dr. Vicente Mera, Melanie Waxman and Philippa Harvey of SHA Wellness Clinic in Alicante, Spain.

Source: SHA Wellness Clinic

Eating a nutrient-dense diet is the top recommendation from Melanie Waxman, an integrative nutrition specialist and eating coach at SHA Wellness Clinic.

That means eating “lots of vegetables, whole grains, fresh herbs, beans, sea vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and fermented foods,” she said.

What to pack on a plane

Waxman said travelers should snack on alkaline foods to combat acidity that is commonly caused by air travel. She recommended these easy-to-pack foods:

  • Toasted nori snacks: “Great for travelling as they are light and easy to carry in small packs. Nori is alkaline and provides a good source of vitamin C, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, protein and minerals.”
  • Instant miso soup: “Contains all the essential amino acids … and restores beneficial probiotics to the intestines … great for flights and in hotel rooms as you only need to add boiling water to the sachet.”
  • Spirulina powder: “Packed with calcium and protein. It has a high chlorophyll content … is especially beneficial after spending hours in airplane cabins. The flavor can be strong so add it to a refreshing vegetable juice … [or take] as a capsule.”  
  • Plum balls: “A wonderful travel companion, as they are extremely alkaline, full of minerals that help increase energy, aid digestion, boost immunity and improve liver functions … the balls come in a container and are easy to pack in a cabin bag.”

A fermented plum, called umeboshi in Japanese, can be added to a cup of tea on a flight. It is a “very sour plum that has been fermented for at least three years,” said SHA Wellness Clinic’s Melanie Waxman.

Tomophotography | Moment | Getty Images

Breakfast

Waxman recommends drinking one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar mixed with a glass of water before breakfast. The vinegar is “a powerful immune booster … full of probiotics,” she said.

For breakfast, a “wonderful” choice is oatmeal topped with berries, chia seeds and flax seeds, she said.

“Oats actually help the body produce melatonin more naturally,” she said. “Oats contain amino acids, potassium, B vitamins, magnesium and complex carbs … berries pack a punch of vitamin C, and the seeds provide extra omega-3 and protein.”

Jet lag

To combat jet lag, Waxman recommends taking more vitamin C.

She recommends eating sauerkraut, both before and after flying. “Fermenting cabbage causes the vitamin C and antioxidant levels to skyrocket,” she said.

Fresh vegetable juice is also great for immunity and jet lag recovery, she said.

Getting enough sleep

Sleep and immunity are closely linked, Mera said.  

“Restful sleep strengthens nature immunity,” he said, adding that poor quality, or quantity, of sleep increases the chances of falling sick.

People who average less than six hours of sleep a night, or 40 hours per week, have “a serious risk of illness,” he said.

Exercise — but don’t overdo it

Moderate exercise strengthens the immune system, Mera said.

But “30 minutes a day is more than enough,” he said. “Prolonged intense exercise can suppress the immune system.”

To avoid suppressing the immune system, travelers shouldn’t exercise to the point of exhaustion, said Dr. Vicente Mera, head of genomic medicine at SHA Wellness Clinic.

Westend61 | Westend61 | Getty Images

Examples of beneficial exercise include running, walking, swimming and cycling, he said.

Supplements, for some

Studies indicate that certain supplements — such as vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, garlic, echinacea and green tea — may strengthen the body’s immune response, Mera said.

But, he said, they’re not necessary for everyone.

“It only compensates for nutrient deficiencies, which usually occur when nutrition is inadequate, or the immune system is very depressed,” he said.

Other recommendations

To strengthen the immune system, Waxman also suggests Epsom salt baths (“magnesium is easily absorbed through the skin”), using essential oils (“especially lavender, eucalyptus or tree tree oil”), drinking plenty of water and cutting back on alcohol, caffeine and sugar.

Mera added that relieving stress and anxiety is critical to immune health. He recommends meditation, yoga, tai chi and mindfulness to better manage emotions.

Philippa Harvey, head of SHA’s traditional Chinese medicine department, said travelers should start taking steps to strengthen their immune systems about a week before traveling.

“In TCM when someone is healthy and happy we say they have good qi, pronounced ‘chee'” she said.

She recommends eating foods that are in season, especially garlic and ginger in the autumn and winter.

She also recommends exercise and acupressure to stay healthy.

“Before we travel, a nice brisk walk in fresh air is the simplest solution,” she said.

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How much does it cost to travel full time? Here’s what one couple pays

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Ernestas Tyminas felt “stuck” in his role as a marketing manager at a newspaper in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

So he requested two months off to backpack through Asia, he said, landing in Beijing in January 2019.

“On the first day … I meet this one,” he said, gesturing to Darina Karpitskaya, sitting by his side.

The couple, speaking to CNBC via video from Dubai, said they met via the travel app Couchsurfing, which links solo travelers together. Karpitskaya, 31, and a flight attendant at the time, had been grounded in Beijing for two days because of mechanical problems with her return flight.

Though more solo travelers agreed to meet that day, Tyminas and Karpitskaya were the only two who showed up.

After one day together, they planned to meet again in Asia one month later.

A monthlong second date

Karpitskaya returned to Asia, and the couple’s second date was a “crazy one-month adventure” to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, said Tyminas, 29.

It was in the Philippines, he said, that he decided he wasn’t going back to his old life.  

“We were … laying on the beach under the stars,” he said. “We were kind of starting to dream about this lifestyle.”

After returning to Colorado, Tyminas quit his job, sold his belongings and moved to Europe, he said.

Karpitskaya wasn’t quite there yet, saying, “At first it sounded like: Oh my God, you’re quitting your job. You’re moving from America. Maybe it’s too soon. But at the same time, when I came back from that trip I felt like I’m living a life that I’m not enjoying.”

A dog in tow

Tyminas flew from Denver to Paris with his dog — an 82-pound Borzoi, once known as the “Russian Wolfhound,” named Cosmo, who is over 6 feet tall on his hind legs.   

“They gave me three rows of seats, and the dog was just laying on the floor,” he said.

From there, the couple traveled often — to places like Italy and Iceland — but not yet full time, they said.

Ernestas Tyminas and Darina Karpitskaya have taken his dog, Cosmo, to 26 of the more than 40 countries that they have visited together, said Tyminas. Cosmo is a great networking tool, added Karpitskaya: “We meet a lot of people walking the dog.”

Source: Dream Team Travels

Then Karpitskaya got what she called her “dream job” — a position with Emirates airline. She moved to Dubai, but the couple continued to meet and travel together.

Then Covid hit, and Karpitskaya accepted four months of unpaid leave from her job.

“We said: We have four months — we can go explore whatever is open,” said Tyminas.

The trio — including Cosmo, who traveled in a huge bed in the back of their SUV — traveled first to Croatia, then slowly across much of Europe, including many former Soviet states, said Karpitskaya.

She never returned to her job, and couple have been traveling ever since, she said.

What it costs to travel the world

In the beginning, they spent between $1,000 and $2,000 a month — all from savings — by staying in cheap accommodations, cooking at home and seeking out free activities, said Tyminas.

As money started to dry up, Tyminas took several online jobs, which netted between $2,000 and $3,000 a month, which wasn’t far from his salary of $3,300 in Colorado, he said.

Tyminas said the couple stayed longer in Romania because “we saw how the people are nice … how they how much they have to offer. Sometimes you Google and you’re like: ‘There’s nothing to do here,’ and then you get there and [realize] that’s only because nobody travels here.”

Source: Dream Team Travels

But the work was cumbersome, and it “felt like I still had a job,” he said.

So the couple decided to open a marketing and graphic design company, despite the fact that “we didn’t know a lot,” said Tyminas.

They reached out to thousands of people, they said, often working late into the night. Potential customers would ask, “Can you design book covers?” “Can you promote music?” Tyminas said his response was always the same, “Of course I can.”

In reality, he was learning on the job, he said, relying on YouTube, Google and online research. But clients were very happy, he said.  

“They paid me half of what they would pay other marketing agencies and the results, they said, were better than they had before,” said Tyminas.

In the first month, the couple made $6,000, he said. Now, sometimes they earn several thousand dollars in a day working with real estate companies and music labels, he added.

“We write blogs for people — we do everything,” said Tyminas. Plus “we don’t have to report to anybody. We’re our own bosses.”

In the past six months, the couple said they spent an average of $4,000 a month. More than half goes to accommodations, which vary by location — from $3,100 per month in Dubai to $1,500 in Lisbon, Portugal, they said. They limit stays in expensive locations, like Switzerland, to no more than a week, they said.

One way to save money is booking monthlong stays on Airbnb, which cuts down average nightly rates and reduces service and cleaning fees, said Tyminas. But even when they bounced from place to place to visit Europe’s Christmas markets last year, they still ended up paying about $2,500 that month, he said.

Karpitskaya said she doesn’t want these costs to scare people because they spent far less in the beginning. At the time, they spent about 80-100% of their income, but now Tyminas said “we spend about 30% and … save the rest.”

The couple told CNBC they still travel modestly — no five-star hotels — and they still cook most meals at home. But they spend more on activities that they film for their YouTube channel Dream Team Travels — another “completely self-taught” venture, they said.

Hiccups on the road

A life of constant travel isn’t all fun and games, they said.

They encounter dirty Airbnbs and hosts who cancel reservations at the last minute. They’ve also had their camera equipment and clothing stolen twice — once in Mexico, and more recently in France — plus an attempted theft of their belongings from their car in Barcelona, while they were sitting in it.

They have also thought about settling down when they find a place they really love, such as the beaches of Portugal or the French Riviera, said Tyminas.   

“But then … we drive somewhere else and we’re like this place is also just as good,” he said.

When Russia invaded Ukraine, quickly occupying the Kherson region where Karpitskaya’s parents live, Tyminas emailed CNBC to say that they’d stopped traveling for the time being.     

Tyminas and Karpitskaya (pictured here in Abu Dhabi) stopped traveling at the outset of the Russian-Ukraine war. Karpitskaya’s family is now out of Ukraine, except her brother, who “has signed up to be in the military to defend his country,” said Tyminas.

Source: Dream Team Travels

“The first few weeks we didn’t even leave our apartment,” he said. “We spent a lot of time arranging transportation for civilians as well as many dogs from shelters to be taken out of dangerous regions for adoption in Europe.”

By the summer, they had resumed traveling, but were still helping to evacuate Karpitskaya’s family.

“Just a week ago we were able to finally get Darina’s parents out of Ukraine,” said Tyminas, adding that they are currently in his family’s home in Lithuania. “We also did a trip to Romania to pick up Darina’s sister and her five-month-old baby from the border and took her to live in Germany.”

The couple are now in Malaysia, they said, and plan to explore Southeast Asia for the next two months.   

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Travelers can now go to Japan but domestic tourists remain its focus

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After more than two years of closed border policies, Japan is set to welcome back international travelers this week.

Come June 10, foreign tourists traveling via packaged tours can enter Japan.

However, the government’s priority still lies in boosting domestic tourism numbers, said Tadashi Shimura, president of Japan Association of Travel Agents.

Even before the pandemic, domestic tourism contributed far more to Japan’s overall gross domestic product than foreign tourism, according to JATA.

Tourism numbers

Overall tourism contributed 28 trillion yen ($211 billion) to Japan’s economy in 2019, with nearly 80% — or 22 trillion yen — coming from domestic tourists, according to a report by the Japan Tourism Agency.

Despite a rise in Covid cases in 2021, tourism spending from those living in Japan still managed to bring in 9.2 trillion yen that year, JTA said.

Nevertheless, boosting international arrivals to Japan is still vital, especially for the heavily hit hospitality, transportation and travel sectors, said Shimura.

Japan welcomed about 32 million foreign visitors in 2019 and had been on track to achieve its goal of 40 million in 2022, said Ejaz Ahmed, a research analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit, during a webinar on June 1.

However, the pandemic caused arrival numbers to plummet rapidly, and there were only 250,000 foreign visitors in 2021, government data previously showed.

The loss of international travelers cost Japan “about 10 trillion yen over the past two years,” said Shimura, as spending from international students and long-term foreign residents brought in an average of 4.3 million yen per person per year, he said, citing a report by Nomura Research Institute.

Travel agencies in Japan are gearing up for the return of tourists with packaged tours to famous destinations across the country.

All Japan Tours has six tour packages, including the “Golden Route Japan Tour” which takes participants on an eight-day tour around Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto for $2,698.

What are the rules? 

The daily cap on the number of visitor arrivals — which includes Japanese nationals and returning foreign residents — doubled from 10,000 to 20,000 on June 1, according to the Japan National Tourism Organization.

Local reports indicate the government may increase the limit to 30,000 people in July.

Still, Shimura said, those limits are too low, as the country used to welcome “140,000 [visitors] per day.”

Countries are classified into three categories — blue, red and yellow — and travelers may be subjected to additional restrictions depending on where they are coming from, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. 

Travelers from 98 countries and regions — including the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore and China — fall under the “blue” category and are not required to test or quarantine on arrival or be vaccinated to enter.

Travelers from any of the 99 countries in the “yellow” category are also exempted from testing and quarantining upon arrival if they have had three doses of an accepted Covid-19 vaccination. The category includes countries such as India, Vietnam and Sri Lanka.

Those coming from “red” countries, such as Fiji, Pakistan and Sierra Leone, must test on arrival and quarantine for a period of three to seven days.

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Health

Is it safe to travel if I’m vaccinated and recovered from Covid

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Millions of people are now vaccinated, boosted and newly recovered from Covid-19 infections caused by the omicron variant.

They have what some outside the medical community have labeled “super immunity.” And many are ready to see the world again.

Though the term carries an air of invincibility, medical experts disagree about the level and length of protection it confers.

CNBC Travel asked four leading medical authorities to weigh in.

‘You’re very well protected’

Risks of severe illness for vaccinated and recovered people are “low and … unlikely to get lower,” said Dale Fisher, group chief of medicine at Singapore’s National University Health System.

For these people, travel risks are now more about inconvenience than health, he said. Immunized travelers can still get sick during their trips, he said, or have their trips canceled upon testing positive for a pre-flight test.

For the vast majority of people, it’ll just be a very minor illness, if it’s symptomatic at all.

Prof. Dale Fisher

Professor/Senior Consultant, Infectious Disease, National University Hospital

Fisher said traveling isn’t the Covid risk that it once was, because of how prevalent the omicron variant is today, he said.

“There’s nothing magical about travel; you’re not more likely to get [Covid] because you travel unless you’re going from a very low endemic area to a very high endemic area,” he said. But “there’s not many low endemic areas left in the world.”

Some argue that vaccinations plus recovery provide more protection, Fisher said. However, he added, “you’re very well protected after two doses” of a vaccine, too.

“You’re at risk of getting Covid, wherever you go, for the rest of your life,” he said. “But really, for the vast majority of people, it’ll just be a very minor illness, if it’s symptomatic at all.”

‘This virus is very wily’

People shouldn’t let their guards down just yet, said Dr. Patrice Harris, former president of the American Medical Association and CEO of the at-home medical testing company eMed.

“We are seeing hospitalizations reduced, but listen, we are still seeing 2,400 deaths per day in this country,” she said during an interview with CNBC Travel last week. “We are not at the end of this pandemic yet.”

That doesn’t mean she discourages travel — Harris said she’s planning two trips to Europe this year. But she does recommend that people rely on “tried-and-true evidence-based practices,” such as vaccines, testing, masks, ventilation and social distancing.

Dr. Patrice Harris was the president of the American Medical Association from 2020 to 2021.

Source: eMed

Harris said people who are immunocompromised, or around others who are, should exercise more caution. Even though she’s vaccinated and boosted, she’s still careful for the sake of her 87-year-old father, she said.

“This virus is very wily, and at every turn of it has fooled us,” she said.

There is always the threat of another variant emerging, plus the risk of developing so-called “long Covid,” even after mild infections, she said.

“We sometimes think: ‘Oh, I’ll get Covid, I’m young, I’m healthy, I’m boosted, so I’ll get over it quickly,'” she said. “But … not everyone will.”  

‘You should travel’

People who are generally healthy, have had three doses of a vaccine and recovered from omicron should feel secure to travel, said Stefanos Kales, a professor at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

“Unless you really have some serious condition or some serious concern, and you want to travel, absolutely you should travel,” he said. “You should feel quite comfortable because what else, you know, is going to protect you better?”

“Let’s face it … it just really looks like [Covid] is not going to go away ever completely,” he said. “We have other coronaviruses, some of them are cold viruses and … as bothersome as colds are we haven’t found the magic bullet for those or a vaccine. But in general, we live our lives despite them.”

Kales believes it is time to “move on” from the pandemic.

“I think it’s time to … treat this as if we would have treated the flu or a cold,” he said.  

Stay ‘humble’

Professor Cyrille Cohen, head of the immunotherapy laboratory at Israel’s Bar-Ilan University, said it’s too early to say that vaccinated and recovered people are fully protected.

Like Harris, he’s concerned about the threat of new variants, he said.

He said until the situation stabilizes, “I do believe that we still need to feel humble and cautious.”

Travelers could be infected with a new variant — one that hasn’t been detected yet. “That’s how it started for a lot of people back in 2020,” he said.

We still need to feel humble and cautious.

Professor Cyrille Cohen

head of the immunotherapy, Bar-Ilan University

People with so-called “super immunity” may experience less severe disease, he said. “But it is so dependent on the type of variant” that may emerge.  

“It’s always a race … between your immune system and pathogens,” he said. “At the end of the day, you want to be person winning that race.”

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Australia, New Zealand, Bali, Malaysia, Philippines reopen for travel

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Another day — another border reopens.      

In the past two weeks, a slew of countries announced plans to reopen or relax border restrictions. This includes places that have maintained some of the strictest pandemic-related border controls in the world. 

The announcements come on the heels of a record-setting period of global infections. According to the World Health Organization, Covid-19 cases peaked worldwide in late January, with more than 4 million cases registered in a single day. 

However, many countries are signaling that they can’t economically afford — or are no longer willing — to stay closed.

The pervasiveness of the omicron variant, which started spreading in countries — both open and closed — late last year, caused people to question the utility of locked border policies.

In addition, more than half (54%) of the world’s population is now vaccinated, according to Our World in Data. Medical treatments can successfully thwart and treat severe infections. And, many experts are now “cautiously optimistic” — as top American medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci has stated — that a new phase of the pandemic may be within reach.

Australia

Arguably the biggest announcement of the past week came Monday, when Australia declared plans to reopen to vaccinated travelers from Feb. 21.

The news signaled the end to “Fortress Australia,” a moniker applied to the country’s controversial closed border policy that locked out foreigners and citizens alike.

Visitors to Australia must be vaccinated, a requirement underscored by the country’s much discussed ouster of tennis player Novak Djokovic in January.

James D. Morgan | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images

The economic toll of Australia’s insular border policy was highlighted in January, when soon after backpackers were granted permission to enter, Prime Minister Scott Morrison pledged to refund some $350 in visa fees to those who moved swiftly. As it turned out, the about-face toward “working holiday maker” visa holders was part of an effort to reduce severe labor shortages.

Darryl Newby, co-founder of the Melbourne-based travel company Welcome to Travel, said the pandemic “not only affected the travel sector but every single industry” in Australia.

Pressure mounted when Covid infections skyrocketed in December, leaving an open question as to the purpose of keeping vaccinated and tested travelers locked out.

“Negative sentiment,” which began showing up in market research, may have been another factor, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. The article quoted Tourism Australia Managing Director Phillipa Harrison as saying the country went from being “envied” to “ridiculed” over its border policies, with some fearing lasting damage to Australia’s touristic appeal.

The state of Western Australia, home to Perth, is not reopening to either foreigners or Australian tourists yet. It scrapped plans to reopen amid a rise in Covid cases in January.

Percent of peak*: 38%

 *Reuters’ rolling 7-day daily case average compared with the country’s all-time highest infection rate.

New Zealand

Another so-called “fortress” announced plans to welcome back vaccinated international visitors.

Unlike Australia, New Zealand last week outlined a five-step phased reopening plan that won’t allow international travelers to enter until July, at the earliest. Vaccinated travelers must also self-isolate for 10 days upon arrival.

With some exceptions, the plan first welcomes citizens and residents to enter later this month, if they are traveling from Australia. Citizens and residents coming from other places, plus eligible workers, can enter in mid-March, followed by some visa holders and students in mid-April.

Vaccinated travelers from Australia and those from countries who don’t need visas — including people from Canada, the United States, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Israel, Chile, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates — can enter from July. Others will be allowed to visit starting in October.

Percent of peak: At peak and rising

Philippines

After closing its borders in March of 2020, the Philippines announced plans to reopen today to vaccinated travelers from more than 150 countries and territories.  

The country suspended its color-coded country classification program in favor of opening to vaccinated travelers who test negative via a PCR test. Facility-based quarantines were also replaced with a requirement to self-monitor for seven days.

Travelers to the Philippines must have valid return tickets and travel insurance with medical coverage of at least $35,000.

Rouelle Umali | Xinhua News Agency | Xinhua News Agency | Getty Images

Covid cases in the Philippines peaked last month with more than 300,000 daily cases at one point. Cases dropped as quickly as they rose, with 3,543 confirmed cases in the past 24 hours as of Feb. 10, according to the WHO.

Despite the surge, the Philippines’ Department of Tourism indicated the decision to reopen was related to economic hardship and, possibly, to match the policies of other Southeast Asian countries.

“The Department sees this as a welcome development that will contribute significantly to job restoration … and in the reopening of businesses that have earlier shut down during the pandemic,” said Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat in an article on the department’s website. “We are confident that we will be able to keep pace with our ASEAN neighbors who have already made similar strides to reopen to foreign tourists.”

Percent of peak: 19% and falling

Bali 

Despite rising infections, Bali, Indonesia, opened to vaccinated international travelers last week.

“It is known that currently the positivity rate is already above the WHO standard of 5% … the number of people who are checked and tested on a daily basis has also increased significantly,” according to a news release published on Jan. 31 on the country’s Coordinating Ministry for Maritime and Investment Affairs office.

A woman meditates sitting in a bale in Bali, Indonesia.

Ted Levine | The Image Bank | Getty Images

Yet the decision to reopen to international travelers — which has been postponed in the past — was made to “re-invigorate Bali’s economy,” according to the website. 

Travelers face a five-day quarantine requirement, though they can isolate in one of 66 hotels, that include many of the island’s well-known luxurious resorts like The Mulia Resort and Villa and The St. Regis Bali Resort.

Bali, however, isn’t reopening to foreign tourists for the first time. It opened last October to travelers from 19 countries. Yet few people turned up due, in part, to a lack of international flights and the island’s stringent entrance requirements.   

Percent of peak (Indonesia): 68% and rising

Malaysia

Malaysia’s National Recovery Council on Tuesday recommended that the country reopen to international travelers as early as March 1, according to Reuters.

Travelers are not expected to have to quarantine on arrival, similar to tourism policies enacted by Thailand and Singapore.

Nearly 98% of Malaysia’s adult population is vaccinated, according to the country’s Ministry of Health, with more than two-thirds using vaccines produced by Pfizer or AstraZeneca, and one third on the Chinese-made Sinovac vaccine.

Malaysia may be on its way towards an omicron-induced case peak. A steep uptick in daily cases began two weeks ago and has yet to decline.

Percent of peak: 41% and rising

Relaxing travel restrictions

Countries that are already open to international travelers are moving to further relax entrance requirements.

Though Europe is the regional leader in new Covid cases according to the WHO, countries such as Greece, France, Portugal, Sweden and Norway have announced plans to drop incoming test requirements for vaccinated travelers — though some apply only to E.U. residents.

Last week, the islands of Puerto Rico and Aruba enacted similar measures.

Other places are moving in the opposite direction. After shuttering bars and banning some incoming flights in late January, Hong Kong this week instituted new restrictions, including limiting public gatherings to two people. The restrictions are causing city-wide food shortages, inflated prices and a rising public anger, according to The Guardian.  

China also reinstituted strict measures ahead of the Winter Olympic Games, with lockdowns affecting some 20 million people in January, according to The Associated Press.   

Though both relaxed border restrictions, the Philippines and Bali also announced heightened local restrictions this year.

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Health

Harvard medical professor says it’s time to move on from pandemic

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It’s time to let the young, healthy and “anyone who wants to move on” from the pandemic do so, said Dr. Stefanos Kales, a professor at Harvard Medical School.

In a paper posted on LinkedIn last month, Kales said that for the majority of children and adults, “Covid-19 is not a serious threat, only a nuisance that impedes schooling, work and travel.”

“Once Omicron peaks, subsequent variants are likely to be even more mild,” he said. “We badly need to allow the general public, particularly the young, to get back to normal life.”

He said he favors focusing Covid-19 efforts on “the vulnerable” rather than the population as a whole.

“Many reasoned, outspoken and honest scientists have been making the point that Covid-19 is moving rapidly from a ‘pandemic’ … to an ‘endemic’ respiratory infection comparable to the common cold and flu,” he said.

In light of this, it’s “past due” to rethink some Covid protocols, he said.

Less testing and fewer restrictions

With the exception of older people, those with health problems and the unvaccinated, Kales said, for most people, Covid-19 is “much more of a logistical nightmare than a health threat.”

It’s therefore time to stop — or dramatically reduce — testing healthy people who show no Covid symptoms, he said, calling this strategy “doomed to failure.”

“As expressed by another physician I recently heard on the radio, it is like trying to stop a snowstorm by catching each and every snowflake, rather than keeping the roads open by plowing,” he said.

Widespread testing — for travel and work — makes it harder for sick and vulnerable people to get tested, said Kales.

“We would never screen well people for the cold or flu virus. Let’s stop testing healthy kids in schools and universities,” he said. “At this point, the teachers, faculty and staff have had the opportunity to be vaccinated and thus, their risk is minimal as well.”

Those with Covid-19 symptoms are a different matter, he said. Regardless of vaccination status, they need to be tested, diagnosed and given effective medications, he said, adding that sick people — “whether it’s Covid or a cold” — should stay home for five days.

The risk perception here is way off.

Dr. Stefanos Kales

Harvard Medical School

Kales said many current protocols are from medical professionals who focus exclusively on infectious diseases, rather than public health.

“Public health is a balance,” he said.

‘Overestimating’ danger of Covid

Kales said he’s a strong advocate for vaccinations, despite their inability to prevent infections caused by the omicron variant.

“The vaccines … they’re excellent,” he said. “They’ve saved many lives, and they’ve prevented many hospitalizations and much illness.”

Vaccinated people, however, are still fearful of being infected, said Kales.

Dr. Stefanos Kales cited the National Football League’s decision to stop testing asymptomatic players because “they were sidelining too many healthy” players. But, he said, he supports surveillance testing for those who work in nursing homes and with other immunocompromised people.

Jorge Lemus | NurPhoto | NurPhoto | Getty Images

He said vaccinated people are overestimating the danger that Covid poses to them. He recalled younger vaccinated people telling him they aren’t comfortable dining inside restaurants yet.  

“I just think that the risk perception here is way off,” he said.

Still, some say there may be reason to continue exercising caution. Dr. Eric Topol, founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, posted on Twitter today that the notion that Covid “will evolve to a less virulent strain may exemplify wishful thinking.”

Not there yet

Kales’ opinions differ from many in the medical community, which as a group has been among the staunchest proponents of pandemic protocols.

One such person is Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, who said this week that the United States may be heading into a new phase of the pandemic. But, he cautioned, it isn’t there yet.

“I have said, and continue to say, that currently we are still at war with the virus,” he said Monday on “The Daily,” a podcast published by The New York Times. “We have 2,300 deaths a day, 156,000 hospitalizations, and we have the danger of new variants occurring.”

Though he’s “cautiously optimistic” about the pandemic, Dr. Anthony Fauci said another variant could arise that eludes current immunity. “I hope that’s not the case,” he said. “I don’t think it will be, but we have to be prepared.”

Shawn Thew-Pool | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Kales said he believes the number of people hospitalized with Covid-19 has been overestimated. He pointed to an “Incidental Covid-19 Report” published this week by the Massachusetts Department of Health, which showed 49.5% of the state’s Covid-19 patients were hospitalized due to “primary” Covid infections, while 50.5% patients tested positive after being hospitalized for other reasons.

In response, Kales said: “With all due respect, I do think it’s time to move on.”

Loosening travel curbs

Kales said he doesn’t believe testing and vaccination requirements for travel are effective public health measures. He said countries are moving away from these types of restrictions.

In the past week, Puerto Rico and Aruba announced they are dropping testing requirements for some vaccinated travelers.

Airlines and other travel industry groups on Wednesday asked the Biden administration to drop testing requirements for inbound vaccinated travelers to the United States. A letter to the White House that was seen by CNBC cited the pervasiveness of Covid-19 in the United States, increased immunity and vaccination rates, and the availability of new medical treatments.

Dr. Stefanos Kales said N95 and other high-grade medical masks work, but there is “essentially universal consensus that cloth masks don’t.”

Liudmila Chernetska | iStock | Getty Images

Professor Cyrille Cohen, head of the immunotherapy laboratory at Israel’s Bar-Ilan University, agreed that vaccination-based travel restrictions are making “less and less sense.”

But, he said, since unvaccinated people are more at risk of severe disease, countries may want to keep measures that help prevent hospitalizations, particularly if their medical systems are strained.  

Cohen, who said he does not believe that Covid-19 is endemic yet, said he supports testing requirements for international travel “until the situation stabilizes.”

“We know that variants are still developing around the world,” he said. “We do believe that the omicron may help transitioning from [a] pandemic state to an endemic state. But until that happens, I think we should continue with testing before getting on the plane.”



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Business

What are the best cruises in the world? Viking, Disney are big winners

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U.S. News & World Report on Tuesday published its ranking of the “best” cruise lines of 2022.

The publication evaluated 17 cruise lines through a combination of expert evaluations (30%), traveler reviews (50%) and health ratings published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vessel Sanitation Program (20%).

Scores were then analyzed by category to determine winners, ranked highest to lowest, in six areas.

Best cruise lines for the money

The 2022 rankings for best valued cruises are:  

  1. Celebrity Cruises — “Gold Award”
  2. Holland America Line — “Silver Award”
  3. Royal Caribbean International — “Silver Award”
  4. Norwegian Cruise Line
  5. Carnival Cruise Line

Here, average daily rates accounted for 60% of scores, while expert, traveler and health ratings accounted for the other 40%. Cruise lines with average daily rates of $300 or more did not qualify for this category.

The Celebrity Edge cruise ship, the first revenue-earning cruise to depart from the U.S. after a pandemic-induced hiatus, docks during a stop in Costa Maya, Mexico on Tuesday, June 29, 2021.

Eva Marie Uzcategui | Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Celebrity Cruises was named the best cruise for the money. It’s part of the Royal Caribbean Group, which also operates Royal Caribbean International, which took home a “Silver Award” in this category.

Wi-Fi, tips and drinks — like cocktails, wine and specialty coffees — are included in most Celebrity cruise bookings, however the cheapest rates can be purchased without them. Right now, a four-day cruise from Miami to the Bahamas is around $440 per person, including taxes, for an inside state room.

Also on the list: Princess Cruises (No. 6), Costa Cruises (No. 7) and MSC Cruises (No. 8).

Best cruise lines for luxury

Smaller cruise lines — with ships that fit hundreds rather than thousands of guests — dominated U.S. News’ luxury rankings list.

  1. Viking Ocean Cruises — “Gold Award”
  2. Seabourn Cruise Line — “Silver Award”
  3. Regent Seven Seas Cruises — “Silver Award”
  4. Azamara
  5. Crystal Cruises

The Viking Sea cruise ship arrives at Bodrum Cruise Port in Mugla, Turkey on March 13, 2021.

Ali Balli | Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images

Viking, a cruise line based in Basel, Switzerland, is no stranger to accolades. It topped U.S. News’ luxury list last year too — despite Chairman Torstein Hagen indicating he isn’t a fan of the word.

“I have outlawed the use of the word ‘luxury’ … I think we are elegant, we are … understated and hopefully timeless,” he said at a naming celebration for seven new river boats in March 2019, according to cruising website QuirkyCruises.com.

Also on the list: Silversea Cruises (No. 6) and Oceania Cruises (No. 7).

Best cruise lines for couples

Awards for the best cruises for those traveling in twos are:  

  1. Viking Ocean Cruises — “Gold Award”
  2. Seabourn Cruise Line — “Silver Award”
  3. Azamara — “Silver Award”
  4. Crystal Cruises
  5. Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Viking dominates this category due to its “adult-focused environment and luxurious and romantic amenities, such as fireplaces in each ship’s common area and private verandas in every stateroom,” according to a U.S. News & World Report’s press release.  

To qualify for this category, at least 62% of a cruise line’s online traveler reviews must be made by couples.

Most luxury cruise lines allow kids, though they often don’t cater to them the way the larger lines do. Viking, however, doesn’t allow children at all. 

The company previously welcomed kids aged 12 and older to cruise, but as of 2018, all guests must be 18 or older to board.

Also on the list: Celebrity Cruises (No. 6), Oceania Cruises (No. 7), Silversea Cruises (No. 8), Cunard Line (No. 9) and Holland America Line (No. 10).

Best cruise lines for families

The top-ranking cruises for families for 2022 are:

  1. Disney Cruise Line — “Gold Award”
  2. Royal Caribbean International — “Silver Award”
  3. Carnival Cruise Line — “Silver Award”
  4. Norwegian Cruise Line
  5. MSC Cruises

Disney dominates the family cruise category, as it has every year since U.S. News started ranking cruises in 2013.  

Disney cruises have translucent water slides, pirate-themed deck parties and live performances of classic Disney movies, but also adult-only pools, spas and bars for parents.

Marjie Lambert | Miami Herald | Tribune News Service | Getty Images

The company has five ships: Magic, Wonder, Dream, Fantasy and its latest, Disney Wish, which is scheduled to launch in summer 2022. The ship is also set to introduce Disney’s first “attraction at sea” — 760 feet of water slide tubes with Mickey Mouse-themed music, lighting and special effects.

Also on the list: Costa Cruises (No. 6).

Best cruise lines in the Caribbean

  1. Disney Cruise Line — “Gold Award”
  2. Celebrity Cruises — “Silver Award”
  3. Seabourn Cruise Line — “Silver Award”
  4. Royal Caribbean International
  5. Crystal Cruises

It’s a clean sweep for Disney in this category too. Disney has been named the top cruise line in the Caribbean for the past eight years, according to U.S. News & World Report.

The Disney Magic cruise ship sails past Manhattan with the Empire State Building in the background.

Gary Hershorn | Corbis News | Getty Images

Living up to its name, the Miami-based Celebrity Cruises partners with well-known names in the arts and entertainment industry. It’s newest ship, Celebrity Beyond, has Gwyneth Paltrow as its “wellbeing advisor” and a restaurant created by Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud, according to its website.  

Also on this list: Regent Seven Seas Cruises (No. 6), Holland America Line (No. 7), Carnival Cruise Line (No. 8), Norwegian Cruise Line (No. 9), Oceania Cruises (No. 10), Princess Cruises (No. 11) and MSC Cruises (No. 12).

Best cruise lines in the Mediterranean

  1. Viking Ocean Cruises — “Gold Award”
  2. Seabourn Cruise Line — “Silver Award”
  3. Azamara — “Silver Award”
  4. Regent Seven Seas Cruises
  5. Celebrity Cruises

With another win, Viking tops three of U.S. News’ six categories, this time for its presence in the Mediterranean. In every instance, it is followed by Seattle-based Seabourn Cruise Line, Carnival Corporation’s ultra-luxury brand.

The spa in the luxury Seabourn Sojourn cruise ship.

Peter Macdiarmid | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Seabourn has five ships, which hold between 450-600 passengers and cruise to more than 400 destinations. As part of a multi-year agreement, the cruise line has contributed more than $1.5 million to support UNESCO, which grants its guests “unique access” to more than 170 World Heritage Sites, according to its website.   

Also on the list: Oceania Cruises (No. 6), Crystal Cruises (No. 7), Costa Cruises (No. 8), MSC Cruises (No. 9), Silversea Cruises (No. 10), Holland America Line (No. 11), Norwegian Cruise Line (No. 12), Princess Cruises (No. 12), Royal Caribbean International (No. 13) and Cunard Line (No. 14).

Cruising on the comeback?  

Though mass Covid-19 outbreaks early in the pandemic exposed health concerns surrounding cruising, a new survey indicates travelers may not abandon ship travel after all.  

Before the pandemic, 2% of prior cruisers said they wouldn’t cruise again, while as of August 2021, 4% said the same, according to an ongoing survey conducted by U.S. News & Report.

The pandemic hasn’t scared off non-cruisers either. Pre-pandemic, 62% of people who had never cruised indicated they wanted to try it. Now, 61% of people say the same.

Sentiments may be softening with time too. Before the pandemic, about 10% of people that had never cruised said they “never” would. According to the survey, this number rose to 17% in June 2021, but fell to 14% by August.

Click here to read the full report from U.S. News & World Report.

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World

Drew Binsky got paid to travel the world

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It took 1,458 flights and 1,117 buses and trains for Drew Binsky to reach his goal of traveling to every country in the world.

And he did it in less than a decade.

CNBC spoke with Binsky nine hours after he touched down in his last country — Saudi Arabia — about how he financed his 10-year travel spree.

Visiting every country in the world

According to your tally, you’ve been to 197 countries. How do you define “country?”

You’re hitting me with a hard one right away. It’s very political. The U.N. has 193 recognized sovereign states. I add four to that — Kosovo, Palestine, Taiwan and Vatican. Some of these are observer states of the U.N., and they are also the four most recognized of all the unrecognized “countries.” I think I’m like the 250th person to visit every country.

Is there a name for this group?

The “every country” club. It’s a small community, and I’m friends with maybe 20 of them. There’s a lot of drama. It’s like: “You actually haven’t been to North Korea because you only went to the border of South Korea.” I don’t get involved in all that.

You’re planning to stay in Saudi Arabia for two weeks. What’s the average amount of time you spent in each country?

The average is about a week. There are about 10 countries that I spent more than three months in, and I spent more than six months in Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, South Korea and Czech Republic.

But some of them — Luxembourg, Monaco, Liechtenstein, and there’s a couple of countries in the middle of South Africa — you can go in and do everything you want to do in 24 hours. In the future, I plan to stay a minimum of two weeks because you can really soak it in.

How do you organize your visits?

It might be shocking to hear this, but my plan is to have no plan. I really like to be spontaneous. The best moments in life happen when you step out of your comfort zone and you don’t know what’s going to happen next.

I have a unique way of traveling in that I rely on my social media followers and local friends. They pick me up, and they show me their country. Most of the time I arrive in a country I don’t know where I’m sleeping that night.

Binsky said getting visas to places such as South Sudan (here) is the hardest part of travel planning.

Courtesy of Drew Binsky

So planning isn’t too hard?

Getting visas is the single biggest challenge. I’m very fortunate to have visited 160 countries without needing a visa. But the 40 visas that I needed — Iran, Turkmenistan, North Korea, South Sudan, Venezuela, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria — they’re hard for political reasons.

Which countries did you save for the end?

I handpicked my last six countries because I’m shooting a docuseries, and I wanted the last six to be different. So we did Ghana, Ecuador, Venezuela, Palau, Jamaica and Saudi Arabia.

Traveling during the pandemic

How did the pandemic affect your plans?

I had six countries left in March 2020, which I planned to visit in a twelve-week span. Here we are 18 months later, and I finally finished.

I’ve had about 80 Q-tips shoved up my nose over the last 18 months. But I did manage to visit 20 countries: Mexico because they were the only country open in June 2020, then Egypt, Afghanistan — pre-Taliban takeover — Iraq, Dubai, Turkey, Tanzania and Dominican Republic. It’s been a battle but one that’s been fun to fight.

Binsky works while he travels, like here in Myanmar.

Courtesy of Drew Binsky

To confirm, you visited 20 countries during the pandemic?

Yes, which is crazy — fourteen were revisits, plus my final six countries.

Did you get Covid along the way?

I did. I haven’t publicly talked about it. I picked it up in Iraq, and then in Afghanistan I realized that I couldn’t taste or smell. I tested negative in Iraq, but they barely put the Q-tip in my nose — it was like a fake test. I wasn’t super sick, but I stayed in my hotel for seven nights, which was pretty miserable. But I didn’t want to infect anyone.

Earning money on the road

What are your major sources of income?

I started out teaching English in Korea. I made $2,000 a month, and housing was free. I was 22 years old, so it was awesome at the time.

Then I got a head start on Snapchat in 2015, and I got sponsored by a bunch of brands. I got paid $5,000 to go the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro to make Snapchat stories. For a whole year I was making a living off Snapchat. I made $30,000, which is a lot when you’re a budget backpacker.

My first 300 videos, I didn’t make a penny.

Drew Binsky

Travel blogger

I was also using my travel blog to reduce travel costs by working with hostels and budget airlines. Then I started making videos in 2017. My first 300 videos, I didn’t make a penny. It was pretty slow.

While I was living in Bangkok, I made a video about this guy who makes these really good burgers. You pay whatever you want — there’s no price. That video got like 7 million views. I’ll never forget when I looked at the earnings, and it said $10,000. I was like ‘Holy crap!’ It was five hours of work.

Well, it turned out that was the most I made from any video in the next 18 months. Still, it was a sign that you can make a lot of money through ads on Facebook.

A large part of Binsky’s travel style relies on meeting locals, he said.

Courtesy of Drew Binsky

Then I started posting on YouTube, which now makes between $20,000-40,000 a month. On a really good month, it could be more. Facebook is similar.  

This sounds like a lot of money, and it is a lot of money. But now I have a team of about 23 people, so I’m paying a lot of salaries.

Do you have other sources of income?

That’s only ad revenue. I charge brands that I work with between $15,000 to $30,000 per video. Then there’s my merchandise, which is not really that profitable. It’s more for growing the community. I also sell travel hacking courses for $150 a pop. There’s a lot of different revenue streams.

Do you meticulously record your travel costs?

No, I don’t nickel and dime myself. It kind of ruins the fun. I’m still pretty frugal. I’m not going to spend money on first-class tickets unless I have points. I still eat street food, and I still sleep in modest hotels. Even if I make 10 times the amount that I make now, I don’t need to be flashy.

Is any of your travel comped?

I come out of pocket and pay for almost everything, except with tourism boards — they cover everything. Usually when I work with a hotel, I do a paid sponsorship. If a hotel offers me a really nice room for two nights, I’d rather just pay for it and not have to post about it.

The ups and downs of travel blogging

What’s one memory that you’ll never forget?

It’s probably spending 24 hours with the pygmy tribe in the Central African Republic. They are genetically the shortest human beings in the world. I had to fly into the capital of Bangui, take an eight-hour taxi ride into the middle of nowhere and walk through the forest for two hours.

We found a local guide on the way. They told me not only had they never seen a white person, but they had also never seen a non-pygmy. They had never left their tribe to go out into the city.

Binsky said he started recording his travels after receiving a video camera as a gift several years ago.

Courtesy of Drew Binsky

How about a memory you’d love to forget?

Food poisoning. Probably the worst I’ve had is in Yemen. I’ve had for poisoning about 30 times. I got really sick in Iran and India too. But I’m also eating stuff that I know is risky. At the end of the day, you just lose 10 pounds and move on.

One of Binsky’s worst bouts of food poisoning happened in Yemen, he said.

Courtesy of Drew Binsky

What’s next?

We’re making a really cool docuseries about visiting every country. I’ve got a book coming and an NFT project, which I’m really excited about. I’m building meetups in different cities around the world. But I don’t want to lose the core of going out there and meeting people and inspiring people to travel.

Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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World

Which Caribbean islands are open only to vaccinated travelers?

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Adina Eigen took her first trip to the British Virgin Islands in December 2020. Around that time, it had one of the world’s lowest Covid rates among islands that had reopened.

The 42-year-old mother of four from Sands Point, New York, has since returned twice, checking infection rates — and vaccination statistics — before her trips.

“The staff at Oil Nut Bay is entirely vaccinated,” she said of the luxury resort where her family stayed. “The property is not accessible by land and very closely monitored by sea.”

The British Virgin Islands are part of a rising number of Caribbean destinations that attract vaccinated travelers — while proving less attractive to unvaccinated people.

Travelers to the British Virgin Islands

Vaccinated Partially vaccinated Unvaccinated
June
2021		 78% 6% 16%
July
2021		 88% 2% 10%
BVI’s Central Statistics Office

Along with Barbados and St. Lucia, the British Virgin Islands allow unvaccinated travelers to enter only if they quarantine for one week. Data shows few are willing to do so, especially when they have other options in the Caribbean that don’t require quarantines or vaccine certificates.

The relative strictness or leniency of entrance requirements in the Caribbean is reshaping travel trends in the region. Unvaccinated travelers are gravitating to the islands that will let them in, while the vaccinated want places that keep the unimmunized out.

Vaccinated travelers only

At least seven Caribbean nations and territories have announced mandatory vaccination policies for incoming adult travelers — Anguilla, Grenada, St. Barts, St. Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos, as well as the Cayman Islands.

The Cayman Islands plan to admit vaccinated travelers from Sept. 9 to Oct. 13 during the third phase of its structured reopening. Thereafter, the territory may let unvaccinated travelers enter if they quarantine for 14 days.

People have more interest in traveling to islands where there are vaccination protocols in place.

Eric Bamberger

Zeta Global

Safety is cited as the main reason behind the requirement, but such policies may also be good for business.

Marketing technology company Zeta Global analyzed site traffic to the main tourism websites of several islands after they announced vaccinated-only policies, said Eric Bamberger, senior vice president of hospitality at Zeta Global. 

Following the announcements, travel interest increased to all of them:

  • Grenada — up 25%
  • St. Kitts and Nevis — up 26%
  • Cayman Islands — up 44%
  • Anguilla — up 59%  

The data showed two trends emerging in the Caribbean, said Bamberger.

“People have more interest in traveling to islands where there are vaccination protocols in place,” he said. “And their interest among other islands without vaccination protocols is waning.”  

Data from travel marketing company Adara indicates enthusiasm for vaccinated-only entrance policies. Searches and bookings spiked when Trinidad and Tobago announced it was reopening only to immunized travelers — and then again when the policy was implemented.  

Adventure travel company Intrepid Travel is seeing a preference for destinations with more restrictions, said Matt Berna, the company’s managing director of North America. 

“We have found our customers to be more interested in traveling to Caribbean destinations with more strict and firm policies and travel restrictions related to Covid-19,” he said.

For example, among the most popular trips being booked by North Americans, “none of our tours in Mexico are in the top 20,” he said. Mexico has lenient Covid protocols, but Intrepid Travel does not. Starting Sept. 1, all travelers and tour leaders with the company must be vaccinated, said Berna.

Eigen told CNBC she considered going to Mexico at one point, but found it “scary” to visit a country with few restrictions.

“I am vaccinated and would love to go to an island that only allows vaccinated people in,” she said, a view echoed by several travelers who spoke to CNBC.

“I am vaccinated and would love to go to an island that only allows vaccinated people in,” said Eigen, with her family in Oil Nut Bay in the British Virgin Islands.

Courtesy of Adina Eigen

Caribbean authorities are expressing a positive response to the policies.

“Our arrival figures have been consistent, and load factors continue to improve,” said Petra Roach, the CEO of Grenada Tourism Authority.

Turks and Caicos prepared itself for mixed feedback when it announced its policy earlier this month, said Jamell R. Robinson, the islands’ minister of health and human services.

However, “we have received a hugely encouraging overall response from new and existing visitors,” he said. “We anticipate it will have a long-term positive impact on bookings.”

No vaccine required

In contrast to islands with relatively strict policies, places such as the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, the Bahamas and the U.S. Virgin Islands have entrance policies that rely on testing rather than vaccines.

Data from Adara suggests travel interest was highest to the Dominican Republic before other Caribbean islands put vaccination mandates in place beginning earlier this summer. Most travelers to the Dominican Republic don’t need to present a negative test, but some are subject to Covid-19 breath tests upon arrival.

As vaccination rates increased among the island’s top markets — namely, the United States and Canada — travel interest dropped. Covid infection rates in the Dominican Republic decreased from June to August, but interest and searches did not rebound accordingly.

Site traffic increased to the main tourism websites for Jamaica and the Bahamas in June and July, but visitors spent less time searching and clicked fewer pages, said Zeta Global’s Bamberger.

Vaccinated people want to vacation in places that had stricter requirements, so they aren’t mixing with the unvaccinated.

 “These trends show that … travelers still have more tentative feelings about traveling to areas without vaccination policies,” he said.

Similar sentiments may apply to travelers’ desire to fly. A study by the financial website FinanceBuzz published this month indicates more people would be likely to fly (48%) if airlines required vaccinations, than the amount that disfavors such a policy (27%). 

Line in the sand

These figures suggest that islands with lenient protocols — i.e., those without quarantines or vaccine mandates — are likely attracting unvaccinated travelers while deterring vaccinated ones.  

“Vaccinated people want to vacation in places that had stricter requirements, so they aren’t mixing with the unvaccinated,” said Adara’s chief marketing officer Carolyn Corda.

CNBC asked the Dominican Republic, Bahamas and Jamaica for the percentage of incoming travelers who aren’t vaccinated. The Bahamas said it was unable to provide that figure. Jamaica and the Dominican Republic did not respond to CNBC’s request.

Puerto Rico’s tourism authority, Discover Puerto Rico, has said that the island has a vaccine mandate, though it does not have one.

Discover Puerto Rico’s website says that “vaccinations are required” for guests and employees in its hotels, house rentals, restaurants and bars. Discover Puerto Rico’s CEO separately confirmed the vaccine “mandate” to CNBC.

But a closer look at Puerto Rico’s restrictions shows that a negative Covid test on arrival, and weekly negative tests afterward, will suffice without a vaccine. Asked for clarification, a representative for Discover Puerto Rico told CNBC that “the ‘mandate’ refers to the need for either vaccination or frequent negative testing.”

Discover Puerto Rico’s CEO Brad Dean said vaccination rates among travelers to Puerto Rico rose from 9% in May to 58% in August.

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