No doubt travel is on everyone’s mind.
Covid-19 has destroyed travel plans and demolished tourism in Europe… well everywhere.
Overseas celebrations have been postponed or cancelled, younglings embarking on their first girls trip, or boys trip aren’t happening, families who vacay aren’t, and couples hoping to spend some away-time are eating Snickers bars on the couch at home.
But what where the travel hot spots before this virus swept everything away? Where was everyone planning on travelling, and what can we look forward to once the haze has cleared?
Greece as-per-usual was atop of everyone’s Europe trip. London, Lebanon and Iceland are all major hits come summer time.
Iceland’s prime minister Katrin Jakobsdottir has announced plans for the country to reopen to visitors by 15 June, with systems being put in place for those arriving to be tested at the airport in an effort to forgo self-imposed two-week isolation.
From the 15th of May “some professionals arriving in Iceland including scientists, filmmakers and athletes will be eligible for a modified quarantine,” according to an official statement.
Upon arrival tourists will be required to download Iceland’s Covid-19 tracing app, which is in use by 40% of the population. The app has been developed with privacy measures, with location data stored locally on a user’s smartphone or device.
In May Iceland had a mere three cases of Covid-19, shining a light of optimism for the country’s upcoming summer.
“When travellers return to Iceland we want to have all mechanisms in place to safeguard them and the progress made in controlling the pandemic. Iceland’s strategy of large-scale testing, tracing and isolating have proven effective so far. We want to build on that experience of creating a safe place for those who want a change of scenery after what has been a tough spring for all of us,” Thordis Kolbrun Reykfjord Gylfadottir, minister of Tourism, Industry and Innovation.
To date Iceland has recorded 1801 cases of COVID-19 and ten deaths.
Our chief editor wrote this piece for GQ, explore why Iceland should make your post-Covid travel list here
