A former NATO director presents the most health-compliant tourist destinations for Covid-19.
What will be the safest tourist destinations post-Covid? Here’s a question that taunts all travel enthusiasts.
To help them prepare for their next adventures, the Center for Disease Control (CDC), drew on the expertise of its security expert Johann Jones, former NATO Director-General, to compile a list of the world’s safest destinations when the borders reopened. In addition, he has created a list of 10 tips to adopt upstream and during your trip, for even more serenity.
Travel and Coronavirus: Where to plan your vacation?
What are the safest international destinations? After analyzing, sorting hundreds of destinations, and taking into account key indicators recommended by Johann Jones, check out the top list of the safest destinations for post-corona travel below.
Top 5 safest tourist destinations
- Egypt is the safest country in North Africa. A favorite destination for both Americans and Europeans, the country offers direct flights from Paris, London, New York, and Canada, and has a high RSI (International Health Regulation) score and more than 9 hours of sunshine per day, enough to enjoy a multitude of outdoor activities.
- Australia evokes surfing, kangaroos, koalas, and large wildernesses that are both fascinating and hostile. The country is among the safest destinations with a near-zero Covid-19 case rate. Its excellent RSI score, sunny weather, and low population density make it an ideal post-corona destination.
- China and its legendary Great Wall continue to have a very low Covid-19 case rate and an excellent RSI score among the highest in the ranking of 93%, 18 points above the European average.
- Thailand is one of the safest destinations to travel to once the restrictions have been lifted. Although the destination is still closed to the French, it perfectly meets the selection criteria of our ranking and has an optimal health response. It will be the perfect destination for a long-haul trip to Asia once the borders have reopened.
- Morocco ranks 5th in the ranking of the safest holiday destinations on time despite a backdrop of. This destination in northwest Africa, particularly popular with French holidaymakers, is notable for its low rate of new cases, well-developed health infrastructure, low population density, and many hours of sunshine for outdoor activities.
After working for the U.S. Department of Defense and NATO in Afghanistan and Iraq for many years, where he advised senior executives on risk factors, Johann Jones is now an expert on security, crisis management, and risk reduction.
Jones is responsible for the safety of travelers at every stage of their journey. It continuously monitors and assesses the risk factors of each destination we offer to ensure that travelers have up-to-date security information before departure and 24-hour, 24-hour assistance during their journey.
Many African countries are reopening their borders
Quarantine rules, PCR test. Several African countries have detailed the entry rules for travelers and are now open to tourism.
Namibia
Namibia’s main airport reopened on 1 September 2020 and now allows foreign tourists access to the territory.
Terms of Access: All travelers must present a negative PCR test, carried out up to 72 hours before arrival, to complete a 40th of 7 days at the end of which a new test must be carried out.
Tanzania
Since June 2020, Tanzania has been accepting travelers according to normal and regular “pre-Corona” border rules.
Access Conditions: There is currently no mandatory quarantine period, but temperature checks are carried out, and mask and distance rules are required.
In addition, as the global health situation evolves every day, before going on a trip, it is imperative to find out about the traffic and stay conditions on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Travel Advice website and the sites of the tourist offices of the countries concerned.
The following criteria were taken into account to create the ranking of the safest international destinations:
- 14-day COVID-19 reporting rates according to CDC and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
- The score of the International Health Regulations (RSI)
- Population density by country
- Air connections from France, UK, US, and Canada (direct flights vs flights with stopovers)
- Hours of sunshine per day for outdoor activities
14-day COVID-19 case notification rate
The COVID-19 analysis, based on a 14-day case rate, shows the number of cases reported in each country in the last 14 days per 100,000 people. The lower this value, the fewer new infections and the less likely it is that travelers will be exposed to the virus. To be included in the ranking, destinations had to have a score of less than 30. The values of the ranking were collected in the report of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
The score of the International Health Regulations (RSI)
The IHR is an annual report compiled by the World Health Organization (WHO). It presents a country’s self-assessment of its ability to respond to a public health emergency of international concern (USPPI). The coronavirus was declared USPPI on January 30, 2020. Member States submit annual data comprising 24 indicators for the 13 IHR capabilities needed to detect, assess, report, report, and respond to public health risks and acute events of national and international scope. The EU’s average capacity is 75%. When developing the ranking, only destinations with a capacity of at least 30% were taken into account.
Population density of the country
Population density is an indicator of the average population per area for a given territory (state, region, district), where the number of inhabitants per square mile is measured. In the development of the ranking, only destinations not exceeding a population density of 650 inhabitants were taken into account.
Aerial connections
Only destinations that can be reached either by a direct flight (a score of 10 in the ranking) or by a flight with a single stopover (a score of 5 in the ranking) from France, UK, US, and Canada were taken into account.
Hours of sunshine per day
Weather conditions adapted to outdoor activities were taken into account. Indeed, only countries with stable weather conditions and a minimum of 3.8 hours of sunshine per day were included in the ranking.
Preconditions for entry to the rankings
The country has minimum health protocols in place in response to coronavirus
Only destinations where tourist authorities or government agencies have set minimum standards in response to coronavirus (e.g. hygiene rules, distance control, etc.) have been selected. etc.).
Visitor management
Only destinations that have reduced the capacity of sites and attractions, as well as transport, have been selected. The reduced number of visitors means less clutter and queues and a significantly reduced risk of coronavirus infection.
Boutique-Hotels and guest rooms
Only destinations with smaller accommodations (charm hotels, boutique hotels, or guest rooms) have been selected. By avoiding the concentration of individuals in common areas (buffet, swimming pool…), the risk of infection is reduced.
Use of an independent vehicle or accompany a private guide
Only destinations with the possibility of traveling by car or being accompanied by a private guide have been selected for the classification. Guided tours by car or private guide offer travelers greater flexibility, allowing you to change itinerary at the last minute if necessary to avoid attractions or busy areas.
Opportunities for isolated discoveries
Only destinations with isolated travel opportunities (national parks, nature reserves, sparsely populated areas) were selected. By avoiding tourist hubs in busy areas, the risk of coronavirus infection is greatly reduced.
Contactless payment
Cashless or contactless payment options in taxis, supermarkets, restaurants, etc. were a prerequisite for countries to be included in the ranking. Contactless payment is more hygienic and therefore safer from a health point of view.