The countries that are closed to tourism

Closures are most common in Asia and Europe

Toronto, Canada’s largest city, is shut to international visitors (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

One in three destinations around the world are shut to international visitors, new research shows, as Covid travel restrictions choke off tourism.

Data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Travel Restrictions Report shows that new variants of Covid-19 have prompted governments to slam their doors shut on international tourists, with 69 destinations currently closed.

In the main, closures are most common in Asia, the Pacific and Europe, says the UNWTO, which monitored the regulations in 217 countries.

As of the beginning of February, 32 per cent of all destinations (69) are shut for tourism, including 30 places in Asia and the Pacific, and 15 in Europe, says UNWTO.

Meanwhile, 34 per cent of destinations are at least partially shut, and 32 per cent of all countries demand PCR tests from visitors (often combined with quarantine), the UNWTO found.

“Travel restrictions have been widely used to restrict the spread of the virus. Now, as we work to restart tourism, we must recognise that restrictions are just one part of the solution,” says UNWTO secretary-general Zurab Polilikashvili.

“Their use must be based on the latest data and analysis and consistently reviewed so as to allow for the safe and responsible restart of a sector upon which many millions of businesses and jobs depend.”

Currently, all leisure travel both within the UK and beyond is banned. According to the government roadmap, international travel will be permitted from 17 May at the earliest.

The destinations that have shut their borders to tourism, says UNWTO

1. Algeria
2. Angola
3. Argentina
4. Austria
5. Belgium
6. Benin
7. Brunei Darussalam
8. Bulgaria
9. Burkina Faso
10. Burundi
11. Cambodia
12. Cameroon
13. Canada
14. Cayman Islands
15. Chile
16. China
17. Cook Islands
18. Czech Republic
19. Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
20. Denmark
21. Equatorial Guinea
22. Eritrea
23. Fiji
24. French Guyana
25. French Polynesia
26. Germany
27. Hungary
28. India
29. Indonesia
30. Iran
31. Israel
32. Japan
33. Kazakhstan
34. Laos
35. Lesotho
36. Madagascar
37. Malaysia
38. Marshall Islands
39. Micronesia
40. Mongolia
41. Montserrat
42. Myanmar
43. New Caledonia
44. New Zealand
45. Niue
46. Norway
47. Palau
48. The Philippines
49. Poland
50. Reunion
51. Russia
52. Samoa
53. Saudi Arabia
54. Slovakia
55. Solomon Islands
56. Suriname
57. Syrian Arab Republic
58. Taiwan
59. Tajikistan
60. Timor Leste
61. Tonga
62. Trinidad and Tobago
63. Turkmenistan
64. Tuvalu
65. Uruguay
66. Vanuatu
67. Venezuela
68. Vietnam
69. Yemen

Note: Kuwait has since shut its borders completely to international visitors. The UNWTO report lists Kuwait as having “partially shut” borders.