You Can Travel to the United States Starting Tomorrow

Entry Allowed with Negative COVID Test After Vaccination
Visa Issuance Eased... Surge in Inquiries for Study Abroad and More

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondents Baek Jong-min and Jo Seul-gi] On the evening of Sunday the 7th (local time), the area near Times Square, a representative tourist spot in Manhattan, New York, was crowded with people, and long lines formed in front of Broadway theaters. Streets and nearby shops were bustling with tourists from within the U.S. and some countries where travel is allowed, as well as residents out to enjoy the weekend, but recovery to pre-COVID-19 levels is still insufficient. Since many countries still have travel restrictions to the U.S., full recovery from the impact remains difficult, especially in New York, where tourists make up a large proportion.

"Visa Inquiries Flooding In"

With the U.S. effectively lifting its foreign entry ban starting on the 8th, which had continued since the COVID-19 outbreak last year, expectations are rising that the situation will change.

If you are not a citizen of a banned country, you can now visit the U.S. if you have been vaccinated against COVID-19 and tested negative. This means that the situation where Europeans from countries such as the UK, France, and Germany, as well as Chinese tourists?who are major spenders on U.S. tourism and shopping?could not set foot on U.S. soil has come to an end.

The U.S. tourism and shopping industries are highly optimistic, expecting a surge of tourists. Matt Shay, CEO of the National Retail Federation, predicted, "Retail recovery will accelerate due to international travelers."

New York, which heavily depends on tourism for its economy, is actively promoting tourist attraction. NYC & Company, the New York City tourism office, has prepared a $6 million promotional plan targeting countries including Korea, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, and France.

As border restrictions ease, the number of people preparing for postponed trips to the U.S. has surged. A representative from a domestic visa agency said, "Recently, inquiries about tourist visas (B1/B2) and student visas, which allow stays of over three months, have been flooding in."

Another agency representative explained, "Besides short-term travelers using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) for stays under 90 days, applications for visas allowing stays over six months have increased. Although it is not the season before a semester, there are many inquiries about studying abroad."

Lee Saem (25), a university student who decided to go to the U.S. early next year, said, "The U.S. has already been referred to as ‘gradual daily recovery (with COVID),’ so I finalized it as my study abroad destination. I regretted ending my university life without exchange programs or overseas study experiences due to COVID-19, so I’m glad I can go now."

The notoriously strict U.S. visa issuance procedures, such as for student visas, have recently been partially eased. In the U.S., visa interviews are temporarily waived for some applicants, including student visas, until the end of December this year.

In fact, the number of travelers heading to the U.S. has doubled compared to last year, when the pandemic was at its peak. An airline industry official said, "As vaccination rates increase, bookings for flights to the U.S., especially to Los Angeles and Atlanta, have roughly doubled compared to last year."

It Will Take Time to Recover to Past Levels

There are also concerns that expectations of a flood of overseas tourists rushing in just because travel restrictions have been lifted in the U.S. are premature. China, a major spender, still maintains strong overseas travel restrictions, and there are significantly fewer flights than before COVID-19. Complicated travel procedures are also a source of anxiety. Daniel Binder, partner at Columbus Consulting and a travel industry expert, predicted, "It will take considerable time to recover to past levels."