Dubai, Canada, Italy, Tunisia, Jordan and Cyprus are among the latest countries to relax testing requirements for vaccinated travellers.
Countries the world over are easing strict entry rules for foreign arrivals as coronavirus infections and hospitalisations fall.
As of 26 February, travellers flying into the United Arab Emirates (UAE) - of which Dubai is the most popular with tourists - will no longer have to present a negative PCR test beforehand provided they are double-jabbed.
However, according to the updated advice page from airline Emirates, “If requested, passengers must undergo a PCR test on arrival in Dubai and self quarantine until they receive a negative result.”
Unvaccinated travellers are also permitted entry, but must present either a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours of arrival or a certificate of recovery from Covid-19 issued within the month prior to arrival.
Meanwhile, Canada still requires vaccinated travellers to present a negative test, but this can now be a cheaper, quicker rapid antigen test as of 28 February. Unvaccinated passengers must take a PCR test after arrival into Canada, a second one eight days later, and isolate for two weeks.
Italy has followed EU recommendations to allow vaccinated arrivals from countries outside the EU to enter without presenting any kind of negative test from 1 March. Your second vaccine dose must have been given within the past nine months for your vaccination status to remain valid (or you must have a booster jab after that).
Unvaccinated arrivals can continue showing a negative Covid test result taken within 24 hours (antigen/lateral flow) or 48 hours (PCR test) to gain entry.
From 1 March, Cyprus’s entry rules also ease for vaccinated tourists, who no longer have to take a Covid test pre- or post-arrival.
Unvaccinated travellers must continue to present a pre-departure negative test – taken 72 hours before travel with a PCR test or 24 hours before travel with an antigen test – and to take a PCR on arrival.
Tunisia has removed the Covid-19 testing requirement for fully vaccinated travellers completely, while Jordan has gone a step further and dropped both its pre-flight PCR testing requirement and its arrival testing requirement for all travellers, whether vaccinated or not, from 1 March.
Combined with the UK’s decision to drop all testing measures for fully vaccinated arrivals last month, it means that double-jabbed travellers can visit a growing number of destinations without having to shell out for Covid tests on the outbound or return journey.
