US Travel: EU travel restriction disappointing

• European Commission recommends travel restrictions for US travelers to EU.
• Many EU countries experienced boost in inbound visitation this summer.
• US Travel encourages the EU to remain open to vaccinated Americans.

US Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on news that the European Union recommends removing the United States from its list of countries for which travel restrictions should be lifted:

“This is a disappointing development following the boost in inbound visitation by vaccinated travelers that many E.U. countries experienced this summer. It’s a setback despite the uptake in vaccinations—the tool that’s highly effective against the variants—which are on the rise on both sides of the Atlantic.

“Travel is a crucial component of the global economy and will be necessary for a full recovery from the economic devastation of the pandemic. US Travel encourages the E.U. to remain open to vaccinated Americans, and likewise urge the United States to take immediate steps to begin welcoming vaccinated individuals and restoring our travel economy.”

European Union officials today recommended to suspend all non-essential travel from the United States as US new COVID-19 case numbers spiked.

Today’s announcement by the European Council amounts to a recommendation to the bloc’s 27 member states, which technically retain sovereignty over their own borders.