(CNN) - Although most governments still discourage "non-essential" international travel, a multitude of popular destinations are beginning to relax their Covid-19 lockdowns and border restrictions and are moving towards welcoming tourists.
Earlier this month, the European Union unveiled an action plan to reopen its internal borders in time for the summer, while countries like Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have formed "bubbles of travel ", lifting restrictions for citizens of the other.
A number of Caribbean islands are set to open their doors to foreign visitors in June, while destinations such as Mexico and Thailand plan to open region by region again in the coming weeks.
If you are one of the many travelers who are eagerly awaiting news of where you can travel this year, here is a guide to the main destinations that are planning to reopen, as well as some of those that keep their borders firmly closed for travel. 'instant.
Cyprus
Cyprus is so keen to get its tourism industry back on track, officials propose to cover the costs of all travelers who test positive for Covid-19 while on vacation in the Mediterranean island nation.
According to a letter shared with CNN, the Cypriot government will pay for accommodation, food, drink and medicine for tourists with coronavirus when they visit.
The detailed plan was presented in a five-page letter to governments, airlines and tour operators on May 26.
The authorities have also reserved a 100-bed hospital for foreign travelers who test positive, while a "quarantine hotel" with 500 rooms will be made available to families of patients and "close contacts".
"The traveler will only have to bear the costs of his airport transfer and repatriation flight, in collaboration with his agent and / or his airline," said the letter.
The news came shortly after Cypriot Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos announced the reopening of the country's hotels on June 1, while international air travel would resume on June 9.
Once the destination is reopened, visitors from selected countries only will be allowed to enter.
Incoming flights from Greece, Malta, Bulgaria, Norway, Austria, Finland, Slovenia, Hungary, Israel, Denmark, Germany, Slovakia and Lithuania will be allowed first.
From June 20, Cyprus will also allow incoming flights from Switzerland, Poland, Romania, Croatia, Estonia and the Czech Republic.
However, the list needs to be expanded to include other countries in the coming months.
Travelers departing for Cyprus will need to provide a valid certificate proving that they have been tested negative for Covid-19, while they will be subjected to temperature checks upon arrival as well as random tests during their trip.
The destination has already put in place measures to protect travelers and residents, including ensuring that hotel staff wear masks and gloves, regularly disinfecting lounge chairs, and keeping tables in restaurants , bars, cafes and pubs at least two meters (6.5 feet) apart.
Bali
Bali has also managed to contain its coronavirus epidemic, with fewer than 350 confirmed cases and, at the time of writing, a total of four deaths.
The Indonesian island now hopes to welcome tourists again by October, provided that its infection rates remain low.
Bali's economy is highly dependent on tourism and the number of visitors has increased in recent years, with around 6.3 million visitors in 2019.
"The coronavirus has collapsed the Balinese economy ... it's a sharp drop since [mid-March] when social distancing measures have been put in place, "Mangku Nyoman Kandia, a Bali tour guide, told ABC News in April." No tourist, no money. "
All foreign nationals, except diplomats, permanent residents and aid workers, are currently banned from Indonesia, and anyone entering the island must undergo a swab test and provide a letter stating that they is free from Covid-19.
It is unclear what the entry conditions will be if the restrictions are lifted later this year, or whether Bali will accept travelers from areas severely affected by the pandemic.
Thailand
Thailand has long been a major destination for travelers, welcoming nearly 40 million foreign tourists last year.
However, visitors have been banned from entering the Southeast Asian country since March due to the pandemic.
While the number of cases here has been relatively small compared to other destinations - Thailand has reported more than 3,000 confirmed cases and more than 50 deaths - authorities are taking no chances when it comes to reopening the country .
"It still depends on the situation of the epidemic, but I think the earliest we could see the return of tourists could be the fourth quarter of this year," Yuthasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority, told CNN Travel Thailand (TAT).
The governor then stressed that there will be limitations on who can visit the country and in which regions he can go once the restrictions are relaxed.
"We are not going to open all of a sudden," he added. "We are still on alert, we cannot let our guards down yet.
"We have to look at the country of origin [of the travelers] to see if their situation has really improved. "
This means that Thailand is unlikely to open its borders to travelers from destinations that do not appear to be in control of the coronavirus situation.
Those who are allowed to enter may be offered "long stay packages" in remote areas "where health monitoring can be easily monitored", such as the remote islands of Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Samui.
However, the borders of Thailand are closed at the moment.
The ban on incoming international commercial flights - excluding repatriation flights - has recently been extended until June 30, and Phuket International Airport remains closed.
Like many other global destinations, Thailand is currently focusing on domestic tourism.
In fact, some resorts and hotels have already been allowed to reopen - Hua Hin, located about 200 kilometers (124 miles) south of Bangkok, being one of them.
Shopping centers, museums, markets and some tourist attractions have also reopened with the reopening of the Grand Palace in Bangkok on June 4.
France
France was the most visited country in the world before the coronavirus pandemic.
Today, as in the rest of the EU, restrictions are currently in place for all non-essential travel outside the Schengen area (a group of 26 countries that normally have open borders).
Travelers entering the country, with the exception of EU citizens or arrivals from the United Kingdom, will be subject to a mandatory quarantine of coronavirus for 14 days until July 24 at least.
Although government slowly lifts foreclosure measures, car trips of up to 100 kilometers are now allowed and beaches are starting to reopen, officials have made it clear that the country is in no rush to relax the restrictions for international travelers.
"Since the start of the crisis, border closings have been the rule, and permission to cross a border is the exception.
"What is good for tourism is often good for France, what strikes tourism strikes France," he said at a press conference.
Although some businesses have been allowed to reopen, hotels, bars, restaurants and cafes across the country must remain closed until June 2 at least.
Even then, it is unlikely that Parisian establishments, which have been marked as a "red zone" of coronavirus by the authorities, will be allowed to open anytime soon.
It was announced on May 29 that the country's most visited museum, the Louvre, will reopen on July 6.
"Tourism is facing what is probably its worst challenge in modern history," added Philippe. "Because it is one of the crown jewels of the French economy, its rescue is a national priority."
He added that residents can take vacations to France in July and August.
The country's hotels will depend on domestic tourism once they reopen, as all signs suggest that international travelers will not be able to enter for the foreseeable future.
"When the lockdown measures are relaxed, French tourists will likely want to stay close to home in the short term," a spokesperson for the French hotel chain Accor told CNN Travel earlier this month.
"It will be a time for them to rediscover their own country and we will be there to welcome them."
Greece
Tourism accounts for almost 20% of Greece's gross domestic product, as well as one in five jobs, so it is not surprising that the Mediterranean nation is turning to reopening to tourists as soon as possible.
The European country, which has managed to maintain a low number of coronavirus cases by setting up a strict blocking system very early, plans to allow travelers to return on June 15.
"The tourist season begins on June 15, when seasonal hotels can reopen," Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on May 20.
"Let's make this summer the epilogue of [Covid-19] crisis, "he added.
Mitsotakis then said that direct international flights to Greek destinations would resume slowly from July 1, and tourists should no longer undergo a Covid-19 test or enter quarantine upon arrival.
However, the Minister of Tourism, Haris Theoharis, said that the health authorities would carry out spot tests if necessary.
"This summer's tourism experience may be slightly different from what you have had in previous years," Mitsotakis told CNN earlier this month.
"Maybe no bars are open, or no crowds, but you can still have a fantastic experience in Greece - provided the global epidemic is on a downward path."
Bars and restaurants have also been allowed to resume operations, while city hotels are expected to reopen on June 1, followed by seasonal hotels in July.
All international passengers had previously had to pass a Covid-19 test upon arrival or be quarantined for 14 days.
Mitsotakis had suggested that tourists should be tested before their visit as an additional precaution in the future, but it seems that this is no longer the case.
Germany
Although non-essential travel to Germany is currently prohibited, the country of poets and thinkers intends to lift restrictions for EU countries from June 15, according to German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.
The authorities are also considering allowing visitors from Turkey, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland to enter, although a final decision has not yet been made.
The proposal was listed in a document entitled "Criteria for the activation of intra-European tourism", which suggested that the current travel warnings would be replaced by individual travel advice for each country.
"The revitalization of tourism is important both for travelers and the German travel industry, as well as for the economic stability of the respective target countries," he said.
The land border between Austria and Germany is also reopening - travel between Austria and Germany will be possible from June 15 - and restrictions across the country are relaxed.
While the bars are still closed, restaurants began to reopen on May 18, while hotels were allowed to reopen from May 29.
Mexico
Mexico aims to welcome visitors again in a few weeks.
While the nation remains blocked, the hotels and restaurants not yet resumed their activities, the officials plan to reopen the country little by little in order to put things back on track.
"The target is primarily domestic travelers, followed by travelers from the United States and Canada, and then from the rest of the world.
The border between the United States and Mexico is closed to "non-essential" travel until at least June 22, and most international flights to and from Mexico's major airports are currently suspended or significantly reduced.
However, Delta Air Lines will increase and / or resume various services from the United States to Cancun, Mexico Los Cabos and Puerta Vallarta in the coming weeks.
According to Marisol Vanegas, secretary of state for tourism, Quintana Roo, a state on the Caribbean coast of Mexico which shelters Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum, should reopen in mid-June.
"We want to boost tourism and we hope to start opening tourist sites and hotels between June 10 and 15, but we don't know which ones yet," she said.
"It depends on what the federal government allows us to do."
Rodrigo Esponda, director general of the Los Cabos Tourist Office, says he hopes to be able to accept international and domestic travelers by August and September.
However, the seaside destination Riviera Nayarit, located north of Puerta Vallarta, currently has no immediate plans to bring tourists back, according to Richard Zarkin, the public relations manager for the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau.
turkey
Turkey generated more than $ 34.5 billion in tourism in 2019, and the transcontinental country is eager to resume operations.
According to the Minister of Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, the destination plans to revive domestic tourism by the end of May and hopes to receive international visitors from mid-June.
The country has set new guidelines for its hotels and resort facilities, such as temperature controls at entrances and at least 12 hours of room ventilation after departure. Customers should wear face masks and maintain social distance.
"The more we provide transparent and detailed information, the more we will gain the trust of tourists," Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy told Reuters earlier this month, while revealing plans to open about half the hotels Turkish this year.
Meanwhile, restrictions on long distance travel have been lifted, while restaurants, cafes, parks and sports facilities are allowed to reopen from June 1, as well as beaches and museums.
The Istanbul Grand Bazaar, one of the largest markets in the world, is also preparing to reopen for the first time in two months on June 1.
Italy
Italy has been one of the destinations hardest hit by the pandemic, but the hugely popular European country wants its tourism industry to be operational now that infection rates have slowed.
Travelers from the EU, as well as the United Kingdom and the micro-states and principalities of Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican, will be allowed to enter without having to enter quarantine from June 3, what the government called "calculated risk."
"We have to accept it; otherwise, we can never restart."
Visitors previously had to undergo a quarantine of two weeks before being allowed to enter.
All museums, including the Vatican Museums in Rome, reopened slowly throughout the month of May with strict rules of social distancing. Bars and restaurants were allowed to reopen with fewer guests and plastic shields to divide customers on May 18.
Spain
The foreclosure of Spain was one of the toughest in Europe, but the restrictions are being gently lifted. Beaches are expected to reopen in June, while hotels in parts of the country have already been allowed to resume operations.
As of July 1, the European destination, which welcomed a record number of 84 million visitors in 2019, will grant EU travelers permission to enter without having to quarantine for two weeks.
"In July, we will allow foreign tourists to enter Spain under security conditions," said Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez at a recent press conference.
"We will guarantee that tourists are not at risk and that they do not represent a risk (for Spain)."
Although there has been little talk of opening borders to travelers beyond the EU, it is believed that Spain hopes to follow the example of destinations such as Lithuania and the Czech Republic by establishing safe corridors, or a "travel bubble", with neighboring destinations that have succeeded in controlling the epidemic.
"The question of borders will be accompanied by the evolution of the health crisis."
Currently, it is mandatory for anyone aged 6 and over to wear a face mask in public, indoors and outdoors, "where it is not possible to maintain [an interpersonal] distance."
The Maldives
It is already one of the most lavish destinations in the world, but the Maldives should become even more expensive to visit when reopened.
The island nation, made up of more than 1,000 islands, closed its national borders and canceled all flights shortly after registering its first two cases of coronavirus in March.
The Maldives has so far recorded around 1,457 confirmed cases and five deaths from Covid-19.
Tourism minister Ali Waheed said the country may be able to welcome tourists by the end of 2020.
"Over the next three months, the Maldives will hopefully become the first Covid-19 free country in the Asian region," at a meeting of the Maldivian Parliament online.
"We are investigating to start safe tourism when we reach this route."
A gradual reopening has been proposed that would see private jets and super yachts allowed entry from June 1, charter flights and private jets will be charged a landing fee of $ 50,000.
The government has also issued a "safe tourism license" for tourist facilities that comply with government legislation and certain security requirements, such as the availability of a certified doctor and the holding of an "adequate stock" of protective equipment. individual.
Travelers who have made the trip must have a confirmed reservation with a tourist facility with a "secure tourism license", as well as a special tourist visa of $ 100 available to those who agree to spend a minimum of 14 days in the country.
Visitors must also present a valid medical certificate confirming that they are free from Covid-19.
The Maldives received more than 1.7 million visitors in 2019 and the number is expected to reach two million in 2020.
St. LUCIA
Saint Lucia is one of the many Caribbean islands that are trying to return to tourism.
The tropical destination, which closed its orders to foreign travelers on March 23, will begin its gradual reopening on June 4, when it will lift its borders to visitors from the United States.
Those traveling within the country must present "certified proof" of a negative Covid-19 test performed within 48 hours of boarding.
Visitors will also be subject to temperature controls and controls by the port health authorities and must wear face masks and maintain social distance during their visit.
Authorities are also introducing new security measures for taxis to separate drivers and passengers.
"Our new protocols have been carefully developed and will build the confidence of travelers and our citizens," said Tourism Minister Dominic Fedee in a statement.
"The government of Saint Lucia remains committed to protecting both lives and livelihoods as it revives its economy."
Local businesses have also been allowed to reopen, provided they have appropriate clean-up measures and social distancing measures.
Details of the second phase of the reopening of the island, scheduled to begin on August 1, will be announced in the coming weeks.
Portugal
Portugal is still in the process of easing the lockout restrictions, allowing restaurants, museums and cafes to reopen at reduced capacity from mid-May.
But the European country wishes to revive its troubled tourism industry, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Augusto Santos Silva recently declaring that "tourists are welcome".
While visitors from outside the EU are prohibited until June 15 at least, some routes to and from Portuguese-speaking countries like Brazil are still active.
The land border between Portugal and Spain, which has been closed to tourists since March, is unlikely to reopen until EU travel restrictions are lifted.
"We will gradually start to consider easing border controls," Home Affairs Minister Eduardo Cabrita said earlier this month.
Although the prospect of reopening to international tourists seems a little distant, the authorities are putting in place measures to ensure that foreign travelers will feel confident to return when they can.
Rita Marques, the country's secretary of state for tourism, has launched a "do not cancel, postpone" program, allowing tourists to postpone any pre-organized stay in Portugal until the end of 2021.
This is valid for all bookings made through accredited travel agencies, as well as hotels or Airbnbs, for trips scheduled between March 13 and September 30, 2020.
In addition, the national tourism authority Turismo de Portugal has created a free hygiene certification stamp to distinguish "clean and safe" tourism businesses in order to increase the confidence of visitors.
Companies will need to comply with hygiene and cleaning requirements for prevention and control of Covid-19 to receive the stamp, which is valid for one year.
According to Santos Silva, Portugal's airports will soon put in place health checks for arrivals, but visitors will not be subject to mandatory quarantine.
Aruba
The Caribbean island of Aruba plans to reopen its doors to travelers sometime between June 15 and July 1.
However, the Caribbean visitors office, which has reported just over 100 confirmed cases of coronavirus, says that this "tentative" date may change if Aruba chooses to "consider additional precautionary measures if necessary".
Although there is no mention of the Covid-19 test requirements for arrivals, tourists will be required to undergo temperature checks upon arrival.
While non-essential businesses, including shopping malls, cinemas, beauty salons and outdoor restaurants, were allowed to reopen on May 25 at 10 p.m. at 5 a.m. the curfew remains in place.
This means that these establishments must close before 10 p.m. everyday.
In addition, the Ministry of Public Health has introduced the Aruban Health and Happiness Code, a mandatory cleaning and hygiene certification program for all tourism-related businesses in the country.
Georgia
But the country was forced to close its winter resorts and ban all foreign visitors in March due to the crisis.
Eager to revive its tourism sector, the country's government announced its intention to reopen to international travelers on July 1.
The next step will allow domestic travel to special "safe" tourist areas, while the last step will involve reopening the borders and resuming certain flights.
"[The] the tourism sector will be the first to apply emergency relief measures. "
United Kingdom
While other destinations are easing travel restrictions and introducing measures to attract travelers, the UK is choosing to adopt more stringent regulations.
Under the new rules, all arrivals will have to provide an address where they must stay for two weeks.
Those who break the rules will be fined up to $ 1,218.
This decision, which must be reviewed every three weeks, has dashed any hope of saving international tourism in the weeks to come.
The move is believed to discourage airlines from restarting airline operations quickly, while officials warned that British residents are unlikely to be able to go abroad this summer.
"Je dis, pour l'instant, vous ne pouvez pas voyager à l'étranger", a déclaré le ministre des Transports Grant Shapps lors d'une interview télévisée à la BBC, lorsqu'on lui a demandé si les citoyens britanniques devraient réserver des vols en juillet.
"Si vous le réservez, vous êtes clairement, par nature, en train de prendre une chance où va la direction de ce virus et donc où les conseils de voyage sont à l'avenir."
À l'heure actuelle, les hôtels sont prêts à ouvrir début juillet, mais comme les restrictions aux frontières de l'UE sont toujours en place, il est probable que le Royaume-Uni se concentrera sur les voyages intérieurs pour l'instant.
L'hôtel de campagne de luxe Beaverbrook est l'un des nombreux établissements qui attendent avec impatience de pouvoir ouvrir à nouveau leurs portes tout en mettant en œuvre des changements majeurs pour protéger les clients et le personnel.
"Nous attendons toujours des éclaircissements du gouvernement sur la date de réouverture de l'hôtel, mais nous avons travaillé en coulisses pour adapter nos opérations afin d'assurer une sécurité supplémentaire à la fois pour notre personnel et nos clients", a déclaré un porte-parole du Surrey. a déclaré à CNN Travel plus tôt ce mois-ci.
"Tous les visiteurs et le personnel devront soumettre un contrôle de température à leur arrivée et devront se désinfecter les mains lorsqu'ils entreront dans tous les bâtiments du domaine."
Kocha Olarn de CNN, Karla Cripps, Shivani Vora et Elinda Labropoulou ont également contribué à cet article.
