Countries worldwide have been dropping Covid restrictions recently, and three more have joined the restriction-free world. South Korea, Lebanon, and Luxembourg have dropped their travel restrictions and will return to normal tourism. This is welcome news for travelers who have been itching to visit these countries after years of closed borders, testing requirements, and vaccination bans. Thankfully, visitors interested in these destinations no longer have to worry about the extra hoops we’ve all had to jump through to travel over the last few years.
In this article, Travel Off Path will talk about each country’s decision, the timeline for the rule scrapping, and any caveats there may or may not be for each destination. Luxembourg’s decision to drop all covid requirements now means that only one European country is still banning unvaccinated Americans, Spain.
South Korea Drops Restrictions
South Korea has been accessible to both vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers for a while now. However, until July, the country required unvaccinated travelers to quarantine upon arrival. Even after getting rid of that requirement, South Korea has still enforced testing on arrival for both vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers. Thankfully, the testing on arrival requirement is officially set to end on October 1st for all travelers, whether vaccinated or not.
Why Visit South Korea?
South Korea offers a diverse range of travel experiences, and everyone can find something they like about the country, regardless of travel style. Gorgeous Buddhist temples, incredible food, stunning natural landscapes, and the high-tech city of Seoul are just of few of the many options travelers have when visiting South Korea.
Potential South Korea Caveats
As this news is still breaking, some leftover requirements may still be set to change. Specifically, the South Korean Embassy website still states that there will be some form of health screening upon arrival, such as temperature checks or health questionnaires.
Lebanon Drops Restrictions
As of September 27th, Lebanon no longer requires any Covid testing or proof of vaccination in order to enter the country. Similarly, there are no quarantine requirements in place.
Why Visit Lebanon?
Lebanon has many exciting things to see and do and is steeped in history. Everything from incredible clubs in Beirut to ancient Roman ruins awaits in Lebanon. One of the oldest known cities in the world, Byblos, is in Lebanon and is where the first traces of the western alphabet were found.
Luxembourg Drops Restrictions
The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs in Luxembourg recently announced that the country would be getting rid of all Covid-19 restrictions beginning on October 1st. These restrictions will be scrapped for all travelers, regardless of vaccination status. The country joins an almost complete list of European countries that are 100 percent open for travel. As of this writing, Spain is the only European country still banning unvaccinated Americans.
Why Visit Luxembourg?
Luxembourg has beautiful landscapes, gorgeous architecture, and castles and has plenty to do for travelers, despite its small size. Getting around is a cinch, as all public transport is entirely free. Since the country is so tiny, it’s easy to take in the sites all around the country without ever having to pay for a ride. And don’t forget to bring your appetite. Interestingly, Luxembourg has the most Michelin stars per capita of any city in the world.
The World Is Reopening
With the reopening of these three countries and many others over the last few weeks (Japan, The Netherlands, and Panama, just to name a few…), the world seems to finally be reopening. While there are still restrictions in various countries, it appears that each time a new country makes an announcement, several more quickly follow. Perhaps a domino effect has been set in motion, and travelers can certainly hope! As always, before traveling to any destination, ensure that you have verified any pending travel requirements, travel stress-free with travel insurance, and know your passenger rights.
