Coronavirus Travel News

Follow the latest news about coronavirus and its impact on hotels, airlines, cruise lines, tourism destinations, and other sectors of the travel industry.

We are over a year into the Covid-19 global pandemic, and the impact on the travel industry has been severe to say the least. Skift has been covering this on a day-to-day basis since January 2020. You can read the latest news, as well as all of our coverage, on the pages below.

Coronavirus

Travel’s Final Push to Full Recovery Stalled: New Skift Travel Health Index

Continuing uncertainties and headwinds suppressed growth in October, with the Skift Travel Health Index sitting around the 85 percent mark since June with little movement.

Wouter Geerts | 3 days ago

Coronavirus

Travel’s Epicenter Moves West: New Skift Travel Health Index

Data is highlighting the shift away from Asia as the epicenter of travel, moving towards the Middle East and Europe. With China looking at its zero-Covid policy as the long-term solution to beating the pandemic, it will be interesting to see how long it takes for the pendulum to swing back.

Wouter Geerts | 1 month ago

News Blog

Qatar Requires World Cup Visitors to Produce Negative Covid Test Upon Arrival

Fans attending soccer's World Cup in Qatar this November and December must show proof of a negative Covid test upon arriving in the country, event organizers said on Thursday. All visitors above the age of six must produce a negative result from a PCR test taken within 48 hours before departure or a rapid antigen…

Rashaad Jorden | 2 months ago

News Blog

Canada to Lift Last Covid, Mask Restrictions

Canada will end all entry restrictions on October 1, with major national airlines Air Canada and WestJet welcoming the change. Gone are requirements that certain travelers provide proof of vaccination, undergo pre- or post-arrival testing, or quarantine or isolate after arrival, the Canadian government said on Monday. Fully vaccinated travelers have not been subject to…

Edward Russell | 2 months ago

Coronavirus

Asia’s Recovery Remains Unpredictable: New Skift Travel Health Index

While not fully recovered, travel is taking on recognizable and predictable patterns in most regions. Asia Pacific is the exception, where there are still major fluctuations in travel performance with every new announcement of loosening and tightening of pandemic-related restrictions.

Wouter Geerts | 2 months ago

Coronavirus

Assessing a Return of Chinese Outbound Travel: New Skift Travel Health Index

A back-of-the-envelope analysis shows that a return to pre-pandemic levels of Chinese international travel would pull many Asian countries close to or beyond full recovery. Now we just need to wait for Chinese borders to reopen ...

Wouter Geerts | 3 months ago

Coronavirus

Chinese Tourist Hotspot’s Covid Lockdown Strands 80,000 Travelers

The lockdown in the resort city Sanya could be a permanent blow to its tourism industry. Stranded tourists are threatening not to return due to the city government's chaotic handling of the crisis.

Martin Quin Pollard and Eduardo Baptista, Reuters | 4 months ago

Coronavirus

Covid-19 Is Giving Students Pause in Deciding to Study Abroad

Although Covid-19 restrictions have eased up since 2020, current undergraduate students are still ambivalent to pack up, move to a new country, and study abroad.

Sonia Menken | 4 months ago

Coronavirus

Air Travel Woes Put a Drag on Recovery: New Travel Health Index

The Skift Travel Health Index dropped for the first time in 2022, as the mess at airports and airlines is catching up with the industry.

Wouter Geerts | 4 months ago

Coronavirus

Covid-Related Travel Refunds: They Aren’t Easy

Today’s edition of Skift’s daily podcast looks at travel brands’ Covid refund policies, Crowne Plaza’s revamp, and tourism politics in the U.S.

Rashaad Jorden | 4 months ago