As summer travel moves into full swing, more countries are reopening their borders to travelers. Japan, New Zealand, and Samoa are the latest countries to ease their restrictions.
New Zealand
New Zealand will officially reopen its borders on July 31st, two months earlier than planned by New Zealand’s government. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says, “We are building on our proven plan to secure New Zealand’s economic future.”
Japan
An official date will be released this month for Japan’s borders to reopen.
The Japan Tourism Agency announce on May 17th that they will start by testing out small groups of tourists. They will allow triple vaccinated tourists from the United States, Australia, Thailand, and Singapore by the end of the month.
By implementing test groups, the Japanese government will determine the best timeline for a larger reopening of its borders.
Currently, Japan does not permit leisure tourists.
Samoa
This Polynesian island will reopen in August. It’s a possibility that travelers will have to show a negative test to enter the country.
Samoa recently reduced its transmission level from a ‘high 3’ to a ‘moderate 2’ on the CDC travel advisory for COVID-19.
Dwayne Bentley, Samoa Tourism Authority’s acting chief executive says, “As international travel begins to take shape again, Samoa has been striving to ensure critical components of our travel-ready toolkit are in place. All of these efforts ensure we are in a top position to safely open borders to travelers.”