As summer heats up, the US has lifted its long-standing requirement that all travelers entering the country must pass a negative Covid-19 screening.
This news brings both relief and an increase in international travel to an already chaotic summer season.
Many American travelers are happy to see this development as it eliminates the need to test before returning to the States. It also removes the burden of quarantine in order to wait for a negative result.
For US-bound international travellers, however, it is possible to plan trips without having to cancel due to a positive test. To travel to the United States, most non-US citizens need to be vaccinated.
The travel industry, which is in serious trouble, cheers the elimination of any barrier that might prevent them from reaching both groups of potential customers.
This rule was implemented in January 2021 and will be in effect for US-bound passengers starting at 12:01 AM. ET on Sunday, June 12. ET on Sunday, June 12.
This development follows intense pressure from the travel trade and tourism associations as the industry continues to rebound after more than two decades of a pandemic-induced downturn.
These organizations have been calling for the end of the testing requirement for months. It has been in place in Canada, the United Kingdom, and most European countries since March. The American Hotel and Lodging Association and the US Travel Association (USTA), among others, issued statements of support for Friday's announcement about the rule's ending.
In a Friday statement, Chip Rogers, President and CEO of AHLA, described it as a "significant victory for hotels and other travel industries" and called the requirement obsolete. He also said that it had a "chilling impact" on international inbound travel.
Roger Dow, USTA CEO and President, stressed that ending the testing requirement could result in an additional 5.4million visitors to the US, and an additional $9B in travel spending by the end 2022.
'2022 has three seasons in one
While many people in the travel industry support this development, experts warn about increased demand, reduced availability, and higher prices that are certain to follow, adding chaos to an already chaotic travel scene both Stateside-wide and internationally.
Mina Agnos, President of Travelive, a travel agency that specializes in Greece, said via email to CNN Travel, "Europe is going be inundated by American travelers."
According to travel consultants in the US, 2022 will be a three-seasons-in-one year. Agnos stated that hotel availability is limited and that local services such as guides, drivers, local ferry, rail, and air service, and restaurants, will all be full this season.
This is a statement that the tourism sector, particularly the hotel sector, loves to hear.
Chitra Stern, CEO at Martinhal Resorts, is a family-oriented luxury hotel group that has properties throughout Portugal. She said that the US testing restrictions "have held many travelers back" and prevented them from booking trips abroad, particularly families.
Stern believes that the US does not require a negative screening to be allowed to return home. This will lead to an increase in US-based visitors -- Martinhal's top market in Lisbon -- who book stays in Portugal and other European countries.
Stern stated that he expects to see more Americans book last-minute vacations and long weekend getaways in the future.
Visit London CEO Laura Citron expects a similar increase in US tourists, who are London's largest inbound tourist market. She hopes to see the same surge in US visitors heading to London this summer.
"During the pandemic we saw spikes of bookings from the US and London when travel restrictions were lifted," Citron stated to CNN Travel via text message. He added that flight passengers from the US and London almost reached pre-pandemic levels during week of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Agnos says that travelers who are keen to go to Greece this summer should begin planning now and be prepared to deal with crowds. Agnos stated that the Mediterranean country is expected to experience a surge in tourism over the next months.
This is the first time that the travel operator has done this in its 21-year history.
Agnos stated that "Hotel availability is a serious concern even in areas like Athens or Mykonos where inventory was always adequate." "This is the first time that we've ever had to cease taking on business because of the shortage of availability.
"A boost in transatlantic demand"
It is not clear how much this lifted restriction will cause an increase in airfare prices. It is certain that passengers will need to book flights as soon as they can to take advantage of the increased demand.
Scott Keyes (founder of Scott's Cheap Flights), an airfare tracking site and booking website, said that increased demand could lead to airlines expanding their routes to popular destinations such as Europe.
Keyes stated that he expected to see an increase in trans-Atlantic travel demands and airlines responding with more flights to capture new segments of travelers who are eager to travel between Europe and the US.
It's all about supply and need, Kyle Potter, editor at Thrifty Traveler and flight deal website, said to CNN Travel.
Potter stated that domestic fares are rising because of high demand. "As more people travel to Europe and the rest of the world, it is possible for airlines to raise their fares, particularly during peak summer seasons."
Potter suggests traveling between mid-to-late August and early September. We still find great deals on Europe, such as $500 nonstop fares to London and Rome during the time after the trans-Atlantic rush has subsided a little.
In light of the continuing staff shortages in the airline, hotel and restaurant sectors, travelers to high-volume destinations need to have more patience.
Agnos stated that she was concerned about the service delivery this year. "Staffing is still very difficult so service levels may be lower than pre-Covid levels, especially in luxury travel services."
Kathy Hirst is the travel manager at Black Pearl Luxury Services in Salt Lake City. She said that while she was thrilled about the removal of the testing requirement, she also anticipates some frustration from clients who waited until testing was no more necessary to book international travel.
Hirst stated via email that "now that they are ready for booking, they will most likely feel disappointed by a lack of inventory with tours and hotels, cruises, and airline tickets." We are seeing that many hotels, airlines and tour companies, as well as cruise ships, are struggling to operate due to a shortage of staff.
Hirst, like Agnos, has seen a significant increase in bookings and inquiries to European hotspots such as France, Greece and Italy. According to her, Mexico and the Caribbean are also "extremely sought-after" and some of her colleagues have turned down requests for custom trips.
Hirst stated that while these itineraries can be a lot fun to plan, they are also very time-consuming. Many advisers are refusing new clients due to the overwhelming number of requests.
She said that people have waited for two years to travel and that the pent-up demand has created a problem on our side but is also making days extremely long and stressful. "Though I am hopeful that things will improve in the next months, travel is still hotter than any time in my twenty-plus years of experience in the industry."
