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(CNN) – Just as summer is heating up, the United States is removing its long-standing requirement that all travelers enter the country take a negative test for Covid-19.
The news brings both a collective sigh of relief and a likely influx of new international travelers to the already chaotic summer season.
For many American travelers, the development means you no longer have to worry about testing problems before returning to the United States, or the cost and burden of staying abroad for quarantine and waiting for a negative test result if the test before travel turns out to be positive.
Meanwhile, international travelers traveling to the United States can plan trips without fear of having to cancel due to a positive test. Most non-US citizens still need to be vaccinated to travel to the country.
And the battered tourism industry welcomes the removal of the barrier to both groups of potential customers.
The rule, which was introduced in January 2021, will end for travelers to the United States, starting at 12:01 ET on Sunday, June 12. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says they will reassess the rule if Covid-19 changes the situation.
Development comes after intense pressure from tour groups and tour groups as the industry continues to recover after more than two years of decline caused by a pandemic.
For months, such organizations have called for the abolition of the testing requirement, as has been the case in Canada and the United Kingdom since March, as well as in most European countries. Following Friday’s news of the end of the rule, the American Hotel and Accommodation Association (AHLA) and the American Tourist Association (USTA) were among the groups that issued statements welcoming the move.
AHLA President and CEO Chip Rodgers described it as a “significant victory for hotels and the wider tourism industry” in a statement issued Friday, calling the requirement outdated and creating a “chilling effect” on incoming international travel.
Meanwhile, USTA President and CEO Roger Dow stressed that ending the testing requirement could bring an additional 5.4 million visitors to the United States and an additional $ 9 billion in travel costs by the end of 2022.
Tourists and locals walk in a busy tourist area of Athens, Greece, on June 1, 2022.
Louisa Guliamaki / AFP via Getty Images
“2022 is three seasons in one”
While many in the tourism industry support the development, some experts warn of increased demand, reduced availability and higher prices, which are sure to come as a result, exacerbating the already chaotic travel landscape both in the US and abroad.
“Europe will be flooded with American travelers,” Mina Agnos, president of Travelive, a travel agency in Greece with offices in Athens and Delray Beach, Florida, told CNN Travel by email.
“In a conversation with tourism consultants in the United States, the consensus is that 2022 is ‘three seasons in one.’ Hotel availability is very limited and local services [such as] drivers, drivers, local air, ferry and rail services and restaurants will be busy this season, “Agnos said.
This is an assessment that the tourism industry, especially the hotel sector, is excited about.
Chitra Stern, CEO of Martinhal Resorts, a family-oriented luxury property hotel group in Portugal, said US testing restrictions “hold back many travelers” from planning trips abroad, especially families who are the brand’s main demographic. .
As a negative test is no longer required to return to the United States, Stern expects to see a jump in US-based guests – Martinhal’s best real estate market in central Lisbon – booking stays in Portugal and across Europe.
“Now we expect to welcome many more Americans who book last-minute summer trips and long city weekends,” Stern said.
London expects an increase in American visitors now that the testing rule has been dropped. Passengers of American airlines arriving in London reached near pre-pandemic levels during the platinum anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II.
Abby Trailer-Smith for CNN
Laura Citron, CEO of Visit London, expects to see a similar blow to US travelers, who make up London’s largest inbound tourism market, heading to the capital this summer.
“During the pandemic, we saw jumps in bookings from the United States to London when travel restrictions were lifted,” Citron told CNN Travel in a text message, adding that passengers on flights from the United States to London had almost reached pre-pandemic levels during Celebration Week. on the platinum anniversary.
According to Agnos, travelers with hearts set on a Greek vacation this summer should start planning their trips immediately and expect to fight the crowds. If Agnos’ business is an indicator, the Mediterranean is ready to see an overflow of tourism in the coming months, so June is “practically sold out” for Travelive guides, transfer vehicles and even yachts, Agnos said.
This is the first time in the tour operator’s 21-year history.
“The availability of a hotel is a serious concern, even in areas like Athens and Mykonos, where inventory has always been sufficient,” Agnos explained. “This is the first time we have to stop doing business due to lack of availability.”
View of the Bonnie Windmill and the Old Port of Mykonos in May 2020. This summer the accommodation will be cramped, says a travel adviser.
Byron Smith / Getty Images
“Increasing transatlantic demand”
It remains to be seen exactly how much the repealed restriction will increase the cost of airline tickets. But it is safe to say that with the inevitable increase in demand, passengers need to consider booking flights as soon as possible to get the best deal.
According to Scott Keys, founder of Scott’s Cheap Flights, a site for tracking and booking airline tickets, increased demand could lead to expanding airline routes and services to popular destinations such as Europe.
“I expect to see a boost in the search for transatlantic travel and for airlines to respond by adding more flights to catch new groups of passengers who want to travel between the United States and Europe,” Keys said.
It’s definitely a matter of supply and demand, Kyle Potter, editor of the Thrifty Traveler website, told CNN Travel.
“Many domestic prices are higher than ever, and that’s because demand is highest there,” Potter said. “As more people look to Europe and beyond, we can easily see airlines raising prices, especially during the peak summer season.
Potter recommends traveling in mid to late August and early September. “We are still finding some great deals in Europe, such as $ 500 (or less) round-the-clock tickets to London or Rome during this time, as the transatlantic tide has eased slightly.”
Travelers to high-volume destinations also need to be extra patient in light of the staff shortages that the tourism industry continues to struggle with in the hotel, restaurant and airline sectors.
“I have concerns about providing the service this year,” Agnos said. “Recruitment remains very difficult, so service levels may not be comparable to pre-Covid levels, especially in luxury travel services.”
Katie Hearst, travel manager for Black Pearl Luxury Services, a Salt Lake City-based personalized tour operator, said that while she was “excited” by the testing requirement, she also expected some disappointment from customers waiting to book international travel. until testing it was no longer needed and may now face limited availability.
Visitors have already been lined up to enter the famous Louvre Museum in Paris on April 29. The summer travel season will be very busy in many parts of Europe.
AFP via Getty Images
“Now that they are ready to book, they will probably be disappointed by the lack of inventory with tours, hotels, cruises and plane tickets,” Hearst said in an email. “We are currently finding that many hotels, airlines, travel companies and cruises are having difficulty working due to a lack of staff.”
Like Agnos, Hearst saw a significant increase in inquiries and reservations for European hotspots, including France, Greece, Italy and the United Kingdom. She said destinations in the Caribbean and Mexico were also “extremely popular” and that demand was generally so high that some of her colleagues refused requests to book personalized travel.
“These routes are a lot of fun to plan, but they take a lot of time, and so many advisors turn down new clients because we’re so overwhelmed with demands,” Hearst said.
“People have waited two years to travel, and the delayed search is a good problem for our country, but it also makes the days very long and stressful,” she said. “I hope things will level out in the coming months, but for now the journey is hotter than I’ve seen in my 20 or more years in the industry.”
CNN’s Marnie Hunter and Forrest Brown contributed to this report.
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