U.S. president Joe Biden has promised to look at the country’s ongoing international travel ban and will make a decision on letting Europeans back into the country “in a matter of days.”
“It’s in process now. I’m waiting to hear from our folks in our COVID team as to when that should be done,” Biden said.
Europe has eased travel restrictions for inbound tourism from the United States, but so far the U.S. has not reciprocated and kept Europe firmly on its ‘do not travel’ list.
U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs, Tori Emerson Barnes, said: “We welcome the President’s remark, delivered today with German Chancellor Angela Merkel that more information on the timing for lifting international travel bans could come ‘within the next several days.”
“The science says we can safely reopen international travel now, particularly for countries that have made considerable progress toward vaccinating their citizens.”
“Each day that outdated restrictions on travel exist wreaks economic damage on our nation, not to mention the personal toll on individuals separated from their families and loved ones.
“Travel bans related to Canada, Europe and the UK alone cost the U.S. economy $1.5 billion every week – enough to support 10,000 American jobs.
“The US travel industry urges the Biden administration, in accordance with the latest science, to swiftly revise its entry policies on international travel.”
This is the clearest sign that intense pressure to allow travel to resume between the U.S. and Europe is paying 0ff, and will come as good news to tens of thousands of Irish holidaymakers who like to flock to the cities of the northeast and the Florida sunshine.
