US extends vaccine requirement for non-US travelers until January 8
The U.S. is open to tourists from all countries without testing requirement but vaccination is still required for all non-US citizens/residents.
US Reopening Tourism – LATEST UPDATES
November 10: TSA extended the vaccine mandate for non-US visitors
On November 7, the U.S. extended vaccine mandate for travelers until January 8. All non-US visitors still need to show a proof of the full vaccination against Covid-19. (Source: precisionvaccinations.com)
How can unvaccinated travel to the U.S.?
The only way unvaccinated travelers can visit the U.S. is to meet one of the exceptions. You can find all the details about exceptions on the C.D.C website.
Exceptions:
- Persons on diplomatic or official foreign government travel
- Persons with documented medical contraindications to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine
- Children under 18 years of age
- Persons issued a humanitarian or emergency exception
- Sea crew members traveling with to a C-1 and D nonimmigrant visa
- Persons with valid visas [excluding B-1 (business) or B-2 (tourism) visas] who are citizens of a foreign country with limited COVID-19 vaccine availability (See list for updates effective June 28, 2022)
- Members of the U.S. Armed Forces or their spouses or children (under 18 years of age)
- Persons whose entry would be in the national interest, as determined by the Secretary of State, Secretary of Transportation, or Secretary of Homeland Security (or their designees)
U.S. Reopening FAQs
Yes, U.S. requires proof of a Covid vaccine for land border crossinngs until at least January 8.
No, the testing required to enter the U.S. was dropped in June 2022 for all travelers entering.
Yes, the U.S. is fully open for regular tourism but the Covid-19 vaccine is still required.
The United States is still requiring Covid vaccine from non-US travelers and TSA has recently extended the mandate until at least January 8.
Even tho Covid restrictions and requirements are slowly losing importance around the world, there are more than 100 countries that still require Covid vaccines or tests for travel, and the U.S. is one of them.
November 2: Puerto Rico Officials scrap COVID-19-related domestic restrictions as of Oct. 31
Puerto Rican officials just lifted the island’s COVID-19-related domestic regulations as of Oct. 31. Facemasks are no longer necessary for attendees at events with more than 1,000 participants. Additionally, event goers are no longer needed to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result upon admittance.
Travelers must continue to adhere to the federal regulations for travel from countries other than the United States and its territories. Nonresident foreign nationals aged 18 and up must be properly vaccinated before flying into Puerto Rico. Vaccination is not required for children under the age of 18, and it is not required for air travel from the mainland United States.
October – The United States, the last North American country requesting proof of vaccination
The United States is officially the last North American country to prevent unvaccinated travelers from entering the country.
As of today, visitors to the United States must present proof of a COVI-19 vaccination certificate to be allowed entry.
Over the past two years, the U.S. has banned travelers from the European Schengen area, the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Brazil from entering the country at various times.
But while it was once supported by its best allies, notably Canada, it now stands alone in its quest for Covid security.
June – US Lifts Covid-19 Testing for International Travelers
Travelers to the United States are no longer required to submit a negative Covid 19 test taken within one day prior to departure.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated on Friday that this requirement would be removed beginning early Sunday morning. The health service stated that it will continue to monitor the pandemic’s progress and reevaluate the need for testing if the situation changes.
“This step is possible because of the progress we’ve made in our fight against COVID-19,” said the U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra.
How safe is it to travel to the States at the moment?
According to America’s COVID Warning System, the country is overcoming the 4th wave of coronavirus infections.
COVID-19 cases in the U.S.
As of October 5, the U.S. has recorded 98,308,956 cases and 1,085,366 the highest death toll in the world.
Some of the current carrier flying from Europe to the U.S.
- Lufthansa United
- Air Europa
- Royal Air Maroc
- Air France
- Alitalia, Delta Operated by Alitalia CityLiner
- Delta
- KLM, Delta Virgin Atlantic
- Lufthansa, Air Canada 0perated by Air Canada Express – Sky Regional
- Lufthansa, Air Canada operated by Air Canada Express – Jazz
- Lufthansa, United operated by Mesa Airlines DBA United Express
- Tap Air Portugal
- Turkish Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic
US reopening borders for tourism: Update Archives
September – US still requires Covid vaccine from non-US citizens
As of September 19, proof of Covid vaccination is still required for entry into the United States for all non-US citizens. There is no recent update from the government on when they are planning to drop this requirement.
February 18 – The CDC considers lifting indoor mask-wearing mandate across the US
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director may recommend the US to lift the need to wear face coverings in indoor settings, said CDC Head Dr. Rochelle Walensky during a White House briefing.
“We want to give people a break from things like mask wearing when these metrics are better, and then have the ability to reach for them again should things worsen.”
The CDC will review the number of severe cases and hospital capacity rather before making a final decision.
Also read: More US States Lifting Mask Mandates as COVID-19 Drops
January 15 – The US issues a “Do-not-travel” notice against Canada and Singapore
The CDC has issued the highest travel health advisory to Canada, Singapore and Curaçao due to the high incidence in COVID-19 cases in the previous week.
The CDC currently lists about 80 destinations throughout the world as Level Four.
Canadian health officials forecast the Omicron wave peak at 170,000 cases a day this month, with 2,000 hospitalizations also per day.
The CDC will revisit this travel advice on Monday.
December 22 – US considers lifting travel ban on Southern African countries
The US is reportedly considering lifting its ban on Southern African countries over the next few days.
According to the government, “we’re letting in people from other countries that have as much or more infection than the Southern African countries.”
“We likely are going to pull back on that pretty soon because we have enough infection in our own country,” said Dr. Fauci at the National Press Club.
In less than three weeks, the Omicron variant already accounts for over 73% of the new infections in the U.S. said the CDC on Monday.
December 4 – The US government tightens travel restrictions for all travelers
All international arrivals are now required to present a negative COVID-19 test taken within 1 day of departure.
“Our doctors believe tightening testing requirements for pre-departure will help catch more cases, potential cases of people who may be positive and inside the country,” a White House official said.
Also, domestic travelers using all types of public transportation such as trains, cruise ships or domestic flights will have to wear a face mask at all times or face fines of up to USD 3,000.
November 28 – The U.S. to ban all travel from South Africa and other 7 countries from Monday
The U.S. will ban travel from South Africa and other seven countries starting Monday as a new heavily mutated coronavirus variant emerges, announced White House officials on Friday.
Other countries included in the restriction are Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi.
National and residents are allowed to come back.
“As we move forward,” said the President in a statement, “we will continue to be guided by what the science and my medical team advises.”
November 21 – The U.S. makes booster shots available to all people 18 and above
With an increasing number of countries requiring passengers to provide proof of booster shots to give them access to a number of tourist venues, the U.S.’s move to make booster doses available for most citizens brings relief for international travelers.
“Based on the compelling evidence, all adults over 18 should now have equitable access to a COVID-19 booster dose,” says the CDC.
Despite the fact that more than 195 million Americans are fully vaccinated, Covid cases are on the rise in some locations as vaccine effectiveness declines over time.
The Pfizer booster dose was found to be 95 percent effective in a clinical trial involving 10,000 people aged 16 and up.
November 13 – Travelers experiencing long wait times at U.S. airports
Following the reopening on Nov. 8, large numbers of overseas travelers have begun to arrive in American airports.
Although this is wonderful news for families and the tourism sector, 21 months of closure did not seem to be enough time for American airports to prepare for such a large influx of passengers all at once.
Thousands of travelers have complained about having to wait over two hours to get through customs. Things are expected to worsen as the Christmas holidays approach.
“The expectation is that we could see wait times of up to eight hours,” said Sherry Stein, the leader (SITA).
November 5 – The U.S. to welcome EU travelers as soon as ports of entry open on Nov. 8
Beginning Monday, the United States will drop entrance restrictions for vaccinated EU and Asian travelers, putting an end to historic restrictions that have kept the country partially isolated from the rest of the world for almost 21 months.
According to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the U.S. will reopen its air and land borders as soon as ports of entry start operations on Nov. 8
That means that border crossings that are open 24 hours a day will accept international travelers from midnight, while the rest will open during regular business hours.
October 15 – U.S. Government announces the reopening date for the European Union
White House has confirmed the reopening date for international tourism, current travel curbs will be lifted on November 8. Both land and air borders will reopen to fully vaccinated travelers.
Non-vaccinated air travelers will be also able to enter but they will need to show proof of a negative Covid-19 test.
The ban on non-vaccinated travelers will still remain in place on the Mexican and Canadian land borders.
October 20 – The U.S. is set to reopen land borders with Canada and Mexico in “early November”
The U.S. land borders, which have been shut down since March 2020, will reopen to Canadian and Mexican visitors at some point in November as long as they can prove they are fully vaccinated.
“We are pleased to be taking steps to resume regular travel in a safe and sustainable manner,” Homeland Security Secretary said in a statement.
Essential travelers such as truck commercial drivers, students, and other essential personnel will have until January to present their vaccine certificates.
October 10 – U.S. Reveals the vaccines it will accept for EU travelers
There was a lot of uncertainty over which brand of vaccines the US would accept as a valid entry requirement for EU travelers, once it open its borders.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revealed the country will accept the following:
- Moderna
- Pfizer/BioNTech
- Janssen (Johnson & Johnson)
- AstraZeneca, including Covishield
- Sinopharm (Beijing)
- Sinovac
The CDC also informed that more information will be released as soon as the travel protocols are completed.
The reopening date has not been announced yet.
October 2 – US, Canada, UK, and other G7 leaders met to discuss the future of international travel
Transport and health ministers of Canada, Germany, the U.K, the U.S, Japan, Italy, and France virtually met to discuss the future of international travel on Thursday.
Among other things, the U.S. committed to a number of principles “for a safe and sustainable reopening of travel.” These include trusting scientific evidence, accepting both digital and non-digital test and vaccine passports, protecting users’ private data, and supporting cleaner technologies for land, air, and maritime transport.
Sept. 24 – The U.S. lifts the ban on European Travel but reopening date remains unknown
This week, the U.S. announced that its long ban on European travel will end in “early November”. But so far, they haven’t provided an exact reopening date yet.
The head of the White House’s COVID-19 Response Team, Jeff Zients, said that all travelers must be fully vaccinated, no exceptions.
The CDC will order commercial airlines to collect information from U.S.-bound visitors including their phone number and email address to act as a “public health surveillance system.”
More information about the date and the requirements is expected to be revealed over the next few weeks.
September 16 – The U.S. works on a “new system for international travel” aiming to reopen borders
White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeff Zients said on Wednesday the country is working on a “new system for international travel” that will include contract tracing for international visitors when the country lifts its travel ban.
The government aims to replace the current restrictions with a “safer, stronger, and sustainable” system.
The official did not reveal when the new system will be put into motion or the metrics it will use.
September 21 – The U.S. to reopen for vaccinated EU and other travelers in November, says government
Jeff Zients, the White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator, announced that the U.S. will reopen to visitors from the European Union in “early November.”
Additionally, fully vaccinated travelers from other 33 countries including China, India and Brazil will also be allowed to come back.
“We will move to this much stricter global system, so we will have a consistent approach across all countries,” Zients said.
Visitors will need to present proof of vaccination and a negative Covid-19 test.
September 10 – Nine EU countries have reimposed entry restrictions for American travelers in the last 10 days
On August 31, the European Council recommended removing the U.S. from the “save travel list.” Since then, 11 European countries have taken a stand on the U.S. situation.
As of today, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Germany, Czech Republic and France have enforced additional entry restrictions for Americans.
Netherlands, Spain, Czech Republic and France not only increased their restrictions but also completely barred the unvaccinated.
Sweden and Bulgaria have indefinitely closed their borders to all U.S. arrivals. Croatia, Portugal and Ireland will remain open.
August 31 – U.S. Updates Travel Advisory For Canada, Puerto Rico and Other Countries
Seven countries were moved up to Level 4 travel warning since they surpassed the limit of 500 new cases per 100,000 population over the last 28 days.
The affected countries this time were Switzerland, Saint Lucia, North Macedonia, Laos and Estonia due to their COVID-19 reports; and Oman and Azerbaijan because of raising concerns about terrorism.
Additionally, other 12 countries were moved up or down to the Level 3 travel advisory (high level of COVID).
Some of them because of their improvements in the fight against the pandemic, and some others like Canada and Germany because their efforts are not producing the expected results.
August 19 – U.S. officials and border mayors demand the White House to reopen international borders
A number of U.S. officials and border mayors are joining forces to request the White House to lift the travel restriction that has been in place for 18 months severely affecting their local economies.
A few weeks ago, Washington announced it will maintain restrictions on multiple countries and territories including the EU and China for the time being.
“The ultimate goal is to look for easing of restrictions on nonessential travel,” as well as the “specifics on what we can, need or must do to achieve that.” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria.
The government has not replied yet.
August 5 – the US works on a plan to request all international travelers to be fully vaccinated
The U.S. is reportedly putting in place a new system requiring all international arrivals to be fully vaccinated so they can be allowed to travel into the country, a White House official told Reuters.
“With limited exceptions (…) all foreign nationals traveling to the United States (from all countries) need to be fully vaccinated,” said the official.
He also added that “working groups” are getting ready for “when the time is right to transition to this new system.” However, the date when this plan will be set into motion was not released.
August 5 – the US works on a plan to request all international travelers to be fully vaccinated
The U.S. is reportedly putting in place a new system requiring all international arrivals to be fully vaccinated so they can be allowed to travel into the country, a White House official told Reuters.
“With limited exceptions (…) all foreign nationals traveling to the United States (from all countries) need to be fully vaccinated,” said the official.
He also added that “working groups” are getting ready for “when the time is right to transition to this new system.” However, the date when this plan will be set into motion was not released.
July 30 – Fully vaccinated Americans will be able to resume travel with the U.K. on August 2, but U.S. remains closed due to a delta variant and a surge in cases
While the U.S. continues to be closed for half of the world due to a surge in Covid cases, more countries have been adding it to the list of allowed visitors.
Effective August 2, double-vaccinated Americans and residents will be allowed to travel to the U.K. without quarantine.
There is a catch. Americans should’ve been vaccinated in the U.S. or in one EU country.
Although these travelers no longer need to quarantine, they will still be required to submit a negative PCR COVID-19 test before boarding and take another one on the second day of their stay in England.
This scheme does not apply to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland for now.
July 16 – The U.S. borders will not reopen for EU or other travelers for the time being
“It defies logic. It defies science. It defies fact,” Democratic Representative of New York, Brian Higgins told CNN, regarding the lack of transparency about the U.S. international borders reopening.
Another White official said that European Union, United Kingdom, Canadian and Mexican task groups have met with their American counterparts to discuss the aspects that would allow them to safely reopen the country.
However, another White House official told Reuters that “the Biden Administration is not in a rush to lift travel restrictions soon.”
July 9 – The U.S. can’t put a date on the international borders reopening, says government
The U.S. is unable to put a date on international travel reopening according to a White House official who spoke to Reuters on July 7.
“There are further discussions to be had before we can announce any next steps on travel reopening with any country,” said the official.
This is the second time in less than 2 weeks that a Biden’s administration official speaks about the impossibility to determine when the country will reopen for tourism.
On June 25, the US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken also told reporters they could not give an approximate date and that everything will “have to be guided by the science and by medical expertise.”
As of today, Schengen area residents who are not American citizens are only allowed if traveling under the National Interest Exception (NIE).
June 25 – U.S. to resume international tourism after September 6, said U.S. Commerce Secretary
The long-awaited reopening to EU tourists may be about to be over.
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo has stated the country is actively seeking to open travel bubbles with key partners so they can resume international travel soon.
Although not a specific date was announced, Raimondo mentioned Labor Day, which is celebrated on September 6, as the potential date for free foreign travel.
“I’m hopeful that post-Labor Day we will see a nice uptick in business travel and international travel” […] “I can promise that getting business travel and international travel going again is a top priority,” said Raimondo.
June 9 – U.S. to form task groups with Canada, Mexico, the EU and the U.K. to create a strategy to safely reopen borders soon
Multiple EU countries expected President Joe Biden’s announcement about the U.S. border reopening during his visit to the U.K. for the very first G7 summit of his administration.
But instead, the White house has issued a statement informing the country will not reopen just yet.
“While we are not reopening travel today, we hope that these expert working groups will help us use our collective expertise to chart a path forward, with a goal of reopening international travel with our key partners when it is determined that it is safe to do so,” reads the statement.
For now, the U.S. will form task groups with Canada, Mexico, the EU and the U.K to find the safest way to start international travel.
May 24 – The U.S. has not decided yet whether they will reopen to Europeans or not this summer
On May 19, all E.U. members agreed to welcome back Americans from June. E.U. countries can still enforce extra testing or quarantine requirements, but in principle, all vaccinated Americans will be allowed to visit Europe for tourism again.
Unfortunately, on the other side of the Atlantic things seem to be different. Biden administration has been reportedly holding meetings and contacting tourism industry leaders but reopening decisions have not been made yet.
Last week, White House spokesman Jen Psaki stated that no changes on current travel restrictions have been planned thus far when asked if the U.S. would allow vaccinated travelers to visit America Again. (Source: Reuters)
A Conversation with Bénédicte Savoy
Restitution is Like the Fall of the Berlin Wall
A drum from Cameroon in the shape of a fantasy creature is on display at the Humboldt Forum. Cultural artefacts from Africa, Asia, America and Oceania are on display at the Humboldt Forum. Bénédicte Savoy appeals to museums to be open about the history of such objects and how they ended up in museums. | Photo (detail): Jörg Carstensen © picture alliance / dpa
The renowned art historian Bénédicte Savoy is an expert on the forced appropriation of cultural assets through war and colonialism, an area of research that concerns everyone in Europe. This historical moment is an opportunity for museums and their visitors.
By Sarah Wollberg
“Visitors today should enter the museum with their eyes wide open,” is Bénédicte Savoy’s valuable advice. Every time we visit a museum containing African art, we should ask ourselves, “What are these objects, how do they speak to us, what do they have to tell us?” It is not the same whether we are looking at a figure dating from the 16th century, which came here via pre-colonial trade, or a figure from the 19th century, the height of the colonial era. Among researchers, this is also known as World War Zero when, Savoy explains, multiple wars were waged and in each of them objects were forcibly looted from African countries and brought to Europe. The audience of a museum today should develop a historical awareness of what Europe is and what African countries have lost through the extraction of cultural objects.
Transparency and Dismay at the Humboldt Forum
Bénédicte Savoy resigned from the expert advisory board of the Humboldt Forum because of disagreements. Now she has visited the newly opened museum in Berlin Mitte and was positively surprised by the transparency of the information. “For example, the explicit way that the objects are described in the Colony of Cameroon room is a novelty!” she says. “You learn that every item on display there came here as part of major, bloody military expeditions.” Finally, there is some transparency, but not just that, as it is accompanied by a sense of shock. Even the experienced art historian Bénédicte Savoy, with her many years of research on the looting of art, states “wide-eyed”: “I was horrified. Even I hadn’t realised the scale of it. I didn’t expect there to be blood on every single object on display.” The certainty of the violence seems so oppressive that it stands alone in the room. Everything else, as well as the actual museum experience, is lost. Savoy therefore demands:
“It must not stop at these observations. Another step must be taken now!”
The Fall of the Wall is Here
“Once restitution begins, it will be like the fall of the Berlin Wall,” said then Minister of Culture of the Republic of Benin to Bénédicte Savoy and her colleague Felwine Sarr while they were there for France drafting the independent guide to the restitution of looted colonial property. He doubted that it would ever happen, while at the same time he was aware that it would involve a huge geopolitical shift in the museum system and cultural heritage. The first requests for restitution from African countries date back to the 1960s. For decades, European countries reacted with resistance and did not take a single step in that direction. As early as 1972, Nigeria demanded the Benin bronzes back from Germany. At the time, they only wanted the permanent loan of a few pieces, but even that was rejected at the time by those responsible at the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation in Berlin. Germany and other European countries were not prepared for the discussion.
But now the time has come. In November 2021, after years of negotiations, the Republic of Benin became the first sub-Saharan African state to receive back substantial parts of its cultural heritage from a former colonial power. France returned 26 priceless objects to Benin. They are now on display in the city of Cotonou.
Germany has been negotiating intensely with Nigeria for just over a year and will return part of the Benin bronzes it has been demanding for 50 years.
It took more than half a century, but this wall has been breached and it is time for the rest of it to come down. Each country will do it on its own timetable, with its own taboos, its own difficulties, its own budget, but it will happen. There’s no turning back now. “I’m very confident. There’s no way around it!”
Author
Sarah Wollberg is a graduate of the German-Italian Excellence Programme with Binational Cultural Studies at the Universities of Bonn and Florence and works as an online editor for the Goethe-Institut in Italy. Her articles deal with the topics of literature, film and society.
Translation: Faith Gibson
Copyright: Text: Goethe-Institut, Sarah Wollberg. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Germany License.
June 2022
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The Top 10 Most Visited Countries in Europe
World citizens are now travelling more than ever. The latest data published by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) show that international tourist arrivals grew 6% in 2018, totalling 1.4 billion, which was forecasted to be reached only in 2020.
In Europe alone were registered 710 million international tourist arrivals or about half of the total number. Southern and Mediterranean Europe drove the growth; however, the Western and Central European countries remain not only the most visited in Europe but also the top tourism destinations in the world.
Following, find the top ten most visited countries in Europe and the reasons why these countries are a magnet for tourists.
1. France – 89.4 million visitors
The world’s most visited country, France, is not all about the Eifel Tower, museums and wine. For more than a decade now, the country has lured the highest number of visitors, more than any other European or world country. The reasons for that are not few. The country has such a variety of tourism attractions that a year would not be enough to see and experience everything that it has to offer.
France is well known for the numerous splendid and enormous palaces, castles and cathedrals all across the country. The Palace of Versailles, the Castle of Chambord and the Notre-Dame Cathedral are some of the most famous.
Medieval villages like the Pérouges, St-Émilion, St-Jean Pied de Port, coastal villages, snowy mountains, beautiful beaches and enormous outdoor markets have made every traveller place France on their must-see list. Over 89 million visitors alone visited the country in 2018, and the numbers are believed to be much higher in 2019. France seems to be the top world destination since 1995 when the country received over 60 million visitors.
2. Spain – 82.7 million visitors
Mostly located on the Iberian Peninsula, Spain is the second most visited country in Europe. Around 82.7 million travellers stepped into Spain in 2018 alone, 1 million more than in the previous year.
Spain has 47 UNESCO world heritage sites, numerous beaches on the Atlantic and Mediterranean, and numerous festivals that bring together people from all across the world. Many have compared the coastal part of Spain with tropical islands.
The variety of foods, in particular the Tortilla Espanola, Pisto, Paella, Paella and other traditional foods have added the value of a trip to Spain.
Its football teams are among the most famous in the world. It is estimated that the Copa Del Rey championship attracts thousands of visitors yearly.
3. Italy – 62.1 million visitors
Home to some of the most famous buildings in the world, like the Colosseum and the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy is the third most visited country in the old continent of Europe. A number of 52.4 million visitors entered the country in 2016, 58.3 million in 2017 and 62.1 million in 20218.
Home to numerous castles, palaces, cathedrals, vineyards and beaches, the country is also known for its influential art, architecture and culture. The Vatican Museums located in the heart of Rome are another attraction for many. Rome itself is the third most visited city in Europe, after Paris and London. Florence, Venice, Milan and Naples are among the most visited cities in Italy.
And even though Italian cuisine is spread worldwide, eating pasta and pizza in Italy, is a must-do for many.
4. Turkey – 45.7 million visitors
Istanbul is probably the dream of every traveller. The meeting point of the occidental and oriental cultures, Istanbul was established in 660 BCE and was known as Constantinople before the Ottomans conquered the city.
No traveller to Turkey will skip Istanbul. The city has a unique mixture of Byzantine and Ottoman architecture, tasty middle eastern food, nice weather, and lots of friendly cats and dogs freely wandering across the city.
Turkey received 45.7 million in 2018, while in 2017 it counted a total of 37.6 million tourists. Travellers interested in history in particular visit the ancient Greek city of Ephesus, the Cappadocia rock valleys, the pure white travertine terraces of Pamukkale, and the ruins of the former Armenian capital Ani and much more.
A huge share of the total number of annual tourists travelling to Turkey goes there to spend their vacations in one of the numerous luxury hotels which you can find in most of the bigger cities.
5. Germany – 38.8 million visitors
One of the strongest economies in the world has a very strong tourism industry as well. A good share of the German budget comes from tourism. Visitors hardly travel across Europe without stopping in Germany. In 2018, Germany had 38.8 million tourists, while in 2017, 37.5 million visitors entered the country.
It shares borders with Denmark to the north, Poland and the Czech Republic to the east, Austria and Switzerland to the south, France to the southwest, and Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands to the west. Travellers to any of these countries can easily access Germany by train or plane.
Germany has a lot to offer to curious travellers. The Cologne Cathedral, Reichstag building, Neuschwanstein Castle, Heidelberg Castle, Aachen Cathedral, Leipzig Zoological Garden are some of the buildings that attract the most visitors.
If you travel to Germany at the right time, you may experience events like the Oktoberfest, the Cologne Carnival, the Berlinale film festival, or Unity Day.
6. United Kingdom – 36.3 million visitors
The modern era Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland consists of four constituent countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The country has played a very important role throughout the history of Europe and the world.
Castles, palaces, churches and other buildings constructed in different periods of history stand still and attract millions of visitors annually. Among the most visited are Stonehenge, the Roman Baths and Georgian City of Bath, Canterbury Cathedral, the Cotswolds, Warwick Castle and Stirling Castle.
37.7 million travellers entered the country in 2017, 1.9 million more than the previous year and 600K less than in 2018. The number of tourists is in particular high during bank holidays and the summer months.
Do you want to visit the UK?
> Check UK visa and entry requirements
7. Austria – 30.8 million visitors
30.8 million travellers visited Austria in 2018. Whether you are passionate about art or nature, Austria can offer you both.
With its stunning castles most of which were created during the Habsburg reign, the Baroque castles and gardens, ruins and monuments dating back to the Middle Ages, a few days or even weeks will not be enough to sneak a peak of the famous Austrian buildings.
The Austrian Alps are well-known as a winter sports attraction. Innsbruck is a must-visit for all those passionate about skiing, or who want to get away from the busy city life.
8. Greece – 30.1 million visitors
The cradle of western civilization, the Hellenic Republic of Greece hosts millions of visitors every year. It has been a tourist attraction since antiquity. 27.2 million people visited the country in 2017, after 24.8 million visitors in the previous year. In 2018 the number increased to 30.1 million tourists.
Among the most famous spots for visitors are the Acropolis, the monasteries of Meteora, the mystical Delphi ruins, the Temple of Hephaestus and many more. The capital of Athens, Thessaloniki, Corfu, Santorini and Crete are among the most visited cities and islands. There are more than 200 Greek islands that you can visit, each more beautiful than the other.
Food in Greece is a unique experience itself. It is a mixture of traditional Greek food influenced by Turkish and Italian cuisine. Greeks are especially known for their seafood and cheese.
9. Russia – 24.5 million visitors
The biggest country in the world is the ninth most visited in the European continent. 24.5 million travellers visited Russia in 2018.
There is a lot to explore and see in Russia. The Saint Basil’s Cathedral looks as if it has gotten straight out of a fairytale. The Hermitage Museum and Kremlin also look fairytalish. Buildings from Imperial Russia such as the Bolshoi Theatre, the Kazan Cathedral and the Singer House are stunning as well.
There are a lot of natural wonders, such as Lake Baikal, Kizhi Island, Valley of Geysers, and Mount Elbrus. Russian ski resorts are in particular famous among Europeans.
10. Portugal – 22.8 million visitors
22.8 million people visited Portugal in 2018, mostly interested in seeing the capital Lisbona, the city of Porto, Odemira, Faro and the city of Sintra.
There is a lot to do in Portugal, from visiting old castles and palaces to surfing at the sea. The old village of Sortelha, the Pena Palace, the Castle of the Moors, the historic fishing town of Cascais and the waterfalls of the Azores are among the things you must see if you are travelling to Portugal.
Portugal has a coastline of 1,794 km and shares its borders only with Spain. It has stunning beaches, crowded ones and others hidden. It is also known for giving to the world-famous football players, who won the UEFA European Championship in 2016.
Source https://www.travelinglifestyle.net/us-reopening-borders-to-tourism-who-can-enter/
Source https://www.goethe.de/ins/us/en/kul/art/23116875.html
Source https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/travel-guide/top-10-most-visited-european-countries/
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