That assumes most of the traffic gets insurance. Many people are only crossing the border for a few hours.

It's also the wrong time of year for snowbirds to be heading south

Crossing a border unpatrolled is completely different than getting on a plane. In Australia when trying to get out of the country at the moment is impossible without property authorisation. All border force officers check that you have an exemption, then the airlines check. If you haven’t got these necessary documents, you don’t get on the plane.

When we were in France and the pandemic was announce our insurance became null and void. They then advised that everything except for health would be covered. Until the pandemic classification is changed, and the level reduced, travel insurance will be difficult to obtain.

Truly guys what is the rush. The last thing any country deserves is an avalanche of tourists who may spread this horrific virus.

I think some people think they are going to get a prize for being the first tourist to return.

Frankly, at this point I would rather not travel in September, but we have tickets to Paris and then on to Greece in the fall. Then returning to Marseille and flying home from Paris in mid-October. I can imagine getting caught up in a transition to more open travel while still having restrictions.

I have already canceled 2 trips this season and am dealing with the distress of getting refunds. I’m well aware that in the scheme of things, my concerns are small, but the lack of clarity is difficult. It will unfold over time, but I don’t assume anything right now.

Dealing with cancellations is very stressful, and the loss of money when you are retired is difficult to cop. However for us we thought could we afford to pay for possibly a long hospital stay uninsured. We know we would have received excellent care in France, it just wasn’t an option to stay.

kerouac I agree, and sadly the prize is not one that I would want.

I would like to visit my grandchildren too (it feels like a year, although in reality it's only been 2 months since we saw them last). And we both live in the US. We're not welcome yet - they are even more cautious than we are.

Greece is really anxious to get up and running with tourism and will be a big test in terms of whether covid 19 is as active in the heat of summer. Some experts think it will slow down (not go away) and others think transmission will be the same. With the weekend heatwave in Athens I saw this video and wondered how this will all go. Of course these are all locals and Greece did very well in terms of containment but uncorking all those flights from UK etc. seem unwise for quite some time...US even longer.

If my flight remains scheduled and my hosts in Greece still want me to come and the airports are open and I’ve met all the conditions in place required for traveling, I intend to go to Greece this summer. If I am unable to meet these standards, I won’t go. I’ve sheltered in place, worked from home, abided by social distancing, wear a mask as necessary and wash my hands meticulously and frequently. I’ve accepted all of the recommendations set forth by the government, so if the government loosens restrictions, I will continue to use their rules to guide me. It isn’t about being the first to travel or a wish to bring disease to a new favorite spot in the world for me. I’ve adjusted my plans (canceled 2 weeks in Spain preceding Greece) to minimize risk and am traveling alone. I’m not reckless, but as an adult I can make decisions for myself.

I just wanted to express myself. Hope I haven’t offended anyone with my position.

My concern would be that even if I had been meticulously careful for months, that going through airports and being on a crowded plane would negate all that I had done to stay healthy. As I said above, my son and his fiancée are moving to the big island of Hawaii on June 1 and will have to quarantine for 2 weeks before they can move about. I will be surprised if countries in Europe allow international flights this summer, but who knows? Hope it works out for you.

My only traveling for the rest of the year will be a 5 hour car ride to Bay Area from Santa Barbara to see granddaughter and new grandson in September. Car trips are definitely in my comfort zone until there is a vaccine.

They’re moving to the big island where there is pretty strict enforcement. I live in a tourist dependent town, Santa Barbara and I don’t think we’re going to get international travelers this summer, but maybe tourists from Los Angeles and NorCal. LA is shelter in place until July so who knows what will happen...

I also think individual comfort level with traveling varies greatly with your age. My husband and I will wait for a vaccine to get on a plane again, if you are younger you perhaps are not as concerned.

EU countries are beginning to plan for reopening their borders with each other, but I haven't heard much talk about when external EU borders will reopen for non-European travellers.

FROM most of the press today that will be the next action but I think much more difficult to put in place. Most international carriers have cancelled their direct flights to many cities...I note the DL flights from NYC to ATH are now connections....without good flights and considering risks negotiating airports etc. not so sure any but the most intrepid will be venturing to Europe this summer...most I know have cancelled plans or moved them well into the fall. I will be dialed in to see how all of this goes with a hope to travel in 2021.

I’d say most traffic is shut down. The parts that may not be patrolled heavily just aren’t good crossing points, usually for infrastructure/geography reasons. I suppose you could cross on foot but it’s hardly as if that’s a practical way for nonessential travelers to cross. Likely not a big concern on the part of border patrol, and certainly not worth the risk for most people.

Although my impression is that even the remote crossing points are patrolled more than usual right now. They’re being very strict about what is “essential”. There was an article recently about one of the Alaskan border towns being cutoff from the majority of their shopping—groceries—because they couldn’t go into the Canadian town next to them. Traffic on the more rural crossings here has been nonexistent when I’ve been near them. Weird for this time of year.


macdogmom—I may be younger, but I’m sure not getting on a plane anytime soon. Which is fine, honestly, because my usual domestic destinations are not places I would feel comfortable going anyway—which is a bummer. I’d been planning a trip to SB and LA this summer, maybe, but there’s just no way now. Same with most of the NPs on my list. Will be crowd shy for quite awhile, I think.

Can only speak to the border where I live in the lower mainland of B.C.
The border crossing points are closed to all but essential travel. The rest of the border near to me and east for at least an hour's drive has got plenty of places where someone could border jump however since 9/11 that is patrolled heavily with border guards in trucks and helicopters, heat sensors, cameras in the trees etc. I'm sure this would be similar in heavily populated areas in Ontario and Quebec along the border.
The rest of the border sure is probably quite crossable if one wanted to sneak across but most people aren't going to do that.

If there's a second wave in autumn (not at all unlikely) those countries that opened up early, will regret it.

Staying closed all summer won't stop an autumn wave.

All it takes is one person to start a new wave. Locally many/most of the new cases are happening within families. Keeping people locked up is keeping infected people near healthy ones.

As we come out of lockdown, people are pouring into stores and actually buying. Many of the shops are having record after record days of turnover which is good news. Walk around on a Friday or Saturday evening in Switzerland and you'll see young adults meeting up in groups, causing pedestrian streets to be crowded with life. Masks are seen less and less. Unless there is a second wave, there is no way the borders will stay closed for long. Our youth wants to congregate and see the world.

My thoughts on this: Yesterday was the first time I wished I had worn a mask to go shopping. It was surreal being in a crowd again. I sincerely hope there won't be a second wave but I can certainly see a risk of it happening.

By the way, 15 people new cases were registered yesterday. (a new low)

Italy will allow foreign visitors into their country again on June 3. I haven't found any restrictions concerning this announcement except that the Lombardy area may impose their own safety measures.

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavir...eased-11989275

There is simply not one medical expert that thinks there will not be a second wave in the fall/winter. As mentioned not so sure this wave has that much to do with open or close in summer but for sure the way things are going it will be stronger and probably earlier than if countries had at least maintained their closed borders this summer....domestic tourism is at least some revenue and in the long run would have been the wise course. I see few countries that will follow this as the short term $$$ incentive is too great. I had a great trip planned to Europe in July 2020 but would far prefer to stay home this summer and return when protocols are tested and in place for Covid 19...maybe a vaccine (maybe not) and not so much uncertainty. Also people making plans have to be ready that a shutdown can happen on short notice if the numbers get out of control again. I don't think many countries outside of Asia have contact tracing procedures in place and the ability to do this.

Aggressive tracing and isolating and people taking their responsibility as citizens will stop an autumn wave. But looking at how things are going now, I think a second wave in the autumn will be a certainty.

You need to trace the people without symptoms. That means you either put in an ongoing test EVERYBODY program or you are just going to have smaller waves.

Most of the people with the virus have no to minor symptoms. If you come into contact with a person who doesn't know they have it. You develop a minor case that's no worse than your seasonal allergies. When finally a person tests positive things will have long spread around the community.

Even if you use the 14 day number if the virus goes undetected for two generations that's a month. Some people take 28 days to develop symptoms. They're contagious much earlier.

But you can't convince me having people spread out outdoors is riskier than having them cooped up like factory farm chickens.

Tracing apps are being considered and developed in many countries. I'm not convinced of their viability but I understand the theory behind it.

Menachem,
Borders will probably be opening up sooner than later. Poverty is just as deadly as this virus which is why we need to crank up the economy again. What I foresee is heightened safety measures such as masks, gloves, disinfectant and some social distancing in crowded places, which will either be recommended or required. Otherwise, life will go on, with or without the possibility of a second wave.

Australia.. in Oct will it still be happening???
 

Booked to travel to Perth in late October from UK via Dubai. Visiting friends and family. Also have an internal flight and accommodation booked in Melbourne so all in about 3 weeks sorted last week in Oct 1st 2 weeks in Nov. What's everyone's thoughts ???. Can you see travel from UK going ahead by then or are we best to cancel now and look to go in the future ???

I live in Australia, in Brisbane, and am wondering about some of the same things. I’m hoping we’ll be able to fly to Perth around the same time to visit our son and his family.

At the moment though, our state’s Premier is refusing to open our borders until September or later, possibly. And Western Australia’s Premier is equally as stubborn about opening their borders.

In your case you need Australia’s international border to be open, and no one has any idea when that will happen.

I think you’d be best waiting until/if your airline cancels your flights as then you should get a refund - unless you have refundable flights.

Never say never but I have my doubts about October.

The Morisson gov't is perhaps more pro-economy than some (shops never closed as long as carefully monitored distancing measures were implemented) but right now, progress in re-opening borders seems more tentative than some of the snippets from other countries. Currently, some state borders are still closed, even with new cases fairly low... usually single digits. Those states have been very pro-closure. Western Australia's Premier gave a hard push back to NSW's call to begin reopening to domestic tourism. WA also took a hard line with letting distressed cruise ships dock. If there's any place you're going to meet resistance, it's going to be that first landing in Perth.

Word is that Australia and New Zealand will open to each other for tourism for a period of time before opening to tourists from elsewhere. (I'm kind of excited about the prospect of a South Island visit that's light on traffic) But they don't yet even have a fixed projection on that "bubble" starting.

Here in Melbourne, we only just opened to allowing home visits of up to 5 people at a time. Cinemas, restaurants and the like will be closed a bit longer. Schools are just re-opening. They're not pushing the timeline much.

Word in Europe now is that there will be green zones accessible to tourists from countries that have an R0 of less than 1.

CounterClifton I’m trying to tell myself that visiting Orange in NSW will be the same as visiting Orange in France

cheska15 , I’m trying to convince myself that Port Lincoln is a fine substitute for Dijon/ Locarno next month....

Adelaidean I needed that laugh. Tragic isn’t it. We will both need a vivid imagination, or reach for the wine

Spain hopes to open their border to international travelers in July.

https://english.elpais.com/economy_a...om-july-1.html

Many thanks for this. Certainly given us food for thought. Wish there was a definite answer to all this and still not sure what to do for the best. Ah'll give it a few weeks see how it goes. Thanks again. Very much appreciated. Never been to Australia before and was so looking forward to it.

We were booked to go to Japan on the 26th of March. For about 3 weeks beforehand we didn’t know what to do and thought about cancelling our non-refundable flights and losing the money. But then about a week beforehand our flights were cancelled by Singapore Air. It was a relief to have no choice in the matter.

It took quite a while to get the money refunded to my credit card though.

I'm sure they're similar enough that you'd never notice. Basically, it's the same pubs, same fish n' chips shops anyway.. :D

I've been scouring the map looking for a Tokyo, VIC but even zooming in hasn't helped.

(I really do think that if there's a silver lining to all this, it may be the one chance to see Milford Sound without the tour buses and whatnot if they ever work out that deal)

Scott Morrison reiterated today borders won’t borders for some time. Maybe we will get home to Adelaide later in the year.

What amuses me is people talking about travelling if they feel like it without any concern that they may be the ones to get sick.

I never fear the worst. Always stay positive and stick to the rules whatever they may be. Was only wondering if the general concesus was that International travel from UK to Australia might be open up by November. . If we have to move dates, so be it but it's the indecision of not knowing what to do.

Originally Posted by Myer View Post
What amuses me is people talking about travelling if they feel like it without any concern that they may be the ones to get sick.

Well, I could also get sick at home, or walking the dogs, or at the grocery store ...

Portugal is open for travelers in two days. We have a trip planned for mid-September. to early October. Too early to tell if we'll end up going, but I'm not postponing right now either.

Portugal is open to EU travellers in two days. There is still an EU wide ban on non EU visitors for non essential journeys, and that may well be extended, especially for countries like the US.

I remain optimistic as TAP starts back up with flights to Portugal from the U.S. on June 4.

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/fli...-resume-june-4