The United States will be open for business in just a few hours.
The U.S. has been closed for most international travellers since March of last year. Canadians and some others have been allowed to fly to the States, but the U.S. land border with both Canada and Mexico has been closed to all but essential traffic for 20 months.
Beginning Nov. 8 at 12:01 a.m., the U.S. will open its doors to air travellers from around the world, provided they can show proof of being double dosed with a vaccine approved by U.S. authorities or the World Health Organization. That includes AstraZeneca vaccines, as well as mixed vaccinations such as AstraZeneca followed by Moderna or Pfizer.
Air travellers also will need to show a negative COVID-19 test result (the U.S. accepts rapid antigen tests) taken within three days of boarding their flight.
Canadians flying to the U.S. have not previously had to show proof of vaccination; only a negative COVID test.
The Juno Beach Pier in Florida.
Non-essential visitors crossing into the U.S. via a land border will have to show proof of vaccination or attest to their vaccination status if requested by border authorities. But, unlike those arriving by air, travellers entering the U.S. by land will not be required to show a negative COVID-19 test result.
As of today, Canadians returning home must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of their flight or planned arrival at the border. Those tests must be PCR-style tests, which can run more than $200 USD.
Tourism officials and travellers say Canada could keep citizens safe by requiring a simpler, and much less expensive, rapid antigen test rather than the PCR standard. The Canadian government on Friday said it will review that policy in the coming weeks.
With winter approaching, Canadian snowbirds are eager to states such as Florida, Arizona, California and Texas. The CBC reports that Canadian campgrounds near the U.S. border are filling up with snowbirds eager to drive south.
The Eight Flags Campground in Milk River, Altbera which is a mere 18 kilometres from the Canada-United States border crossing at Coutts, is full of shiny, large RVs, the network said.
Seniors on vacation at the beach. Esther Ann/Unsplash Photo
“All of a sudden someone said the border’s opening and it just went nuts here,” said Helen Runka, who operates the campground. “They said they’ve been waiting to go back to the U.S. for two years and they’re not going to miss out.”
“The relaxing of the restrictions on the U.S. border as of Nov. 8 – both by land and air – is welcomed by snowbirds, especially by those who normally drive their cars and RVs to the southern U.S.,” said Jill Wykes of Snowbird Advisor, an online resource for Canadian snowbirds. “For air travellers though, it is an added restriction that they must now be fully vaccinated — Canadians have never been prevented from flying to the U.S. during the pandemic.
“Snowbird Advisor conducted a survey in the summer and 90% indicated they intended to travel to their winter locations this year — compared with just over 30% last year — so the opening of the land border has saved the majority of these snowbirds a lot of money, as many were planning on having their vehicles shipped down and flying across the border,” Wykes said. “However, many snowbirds will be hoping the expensive PCR test required to return to Canada will be modified by the time they come home next spring.”
According to Global News, U.S. Custom and Border Protection officials say Canadians should expect an increase in border wait times, especially at busier crossings.
Canada Border Services Agency workers say they’re preparing for crowds when Canadians begin returning from U.S. trips in the coming days.
TheGuardian.com quotes Virgin Atlantic airline officials as saying that United Kingdom bookings to the U.S. have surged 600% since the announcement was made.
Travel + Leisure reports that hotel bookings, flight searches, and vacation home rentals throughout the U.S. have all seen a bump in traffic in the days since the Nov. 8 reopening date was announced, “signaling a beacon of hope to travel pros for the industry’s return to normal or at least a new version of normal.”
Expedia saw a 43% increase in Australian travellers searching for hotels in the U.S., a 28% bump in hotel searches from UK travellers, and a 24% increase from would-be French visitors.
CNBC reports that international shoppers “will be a key ingredient needed for New York City’s recovery. During a typical year, visitors from other countries spend an estimated $4.75 billion on shopping, according to NYC & Company, the city’s tourism board.”
