Mauna Loa volcano on Hawai’i Big Island has erupted for the first time since 1984. But officials say there’s no reason for would-be visitors to change their travel plans. Here is a statement put out by tourism officials today (Monday, Nov. 28, 2022). Mauna Loa volcano on Hawai‘i Island began erupting on Sunday, November 27, at approximately 11:30 p.m., with the lava currently contained within the summit caldera at the top of the 13,681-foot volcano. The situation is being closely monitored around the clock by scientists from the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory and Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency, which are providing regular Read more
travel advisories
In a move that could boost Canadian tourism, Canada has been promoted from level four to level three in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s country ratings system for COVID-19. The Atlanta-based group, which makes travel recommendations for U.S. residents, made the change earlier this week. Level four suggests “very high” COVID levels and recommends against travel to the destination, to level three, which suggests “high” COVID levels but doesn’t recommend against travel. Instead, there’s merely a travel advisory for level three countries. “Make sure you are vaccinated and up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines before traveling to Read more
Two days after the Canadian government said it was removing its “do not travel” advisory, the warning against international travel is still on the official website. The site, which appears to have been last updated on December 15, 2021 states that Canadians should “avoid non-essential travel outside Canada due to the risk of the Omicron variant that causes COVID-19.” Another government website states that “The Public Health Agency of Canada is advising travellers, regardless of their vaccination status, to avoid non-essential travel internationally.” Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos on Tuesday said the government would lower its travel health notice from level Read more
A Canadian travel and tourism group is calling on Canada to lay out a plan with a clear timeline for removing travel restrictions for fully vaccinated travellers. “Canada is in a new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic – one marked by widespread vaccination and high levels of prior infection, and one which many Medical Officers of Health have called endemic,” the Canadian Travel and Tourism Roundtable said in a statement today (Feb. 14). “From Denmark and the United Kingdom to Switzerland, Ireland and Norway, many forward-thinking countries worldwide have recognized that the time has come to remove COVID-19 travel restrictions Read more
The U.S. is adding more countries to its “do not travel” list, which now numbers close to 90 countries and includes some of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday added Sweden, Malta and Moldova to its level-four COVID-19 advisory category, the highest level in its ranking of destinations for the coronavirus. Level four is for countries with a “very high” rate of COVID-19. The CDC tells U.S. residents to “avoid travel” to those destinations, and to make sure they’re fully vaccinated if they have to go. Also at level Read more