Third of prime destinations shut to global tourism

Almost a third of the world's tourism destinations are closed to international visitors because of novel coronavirus restrictions, the United Nations' tourism body has found.

The Madrid-based World Tourism Organization, or UNWTO, said in its Travel Restrictions Report released on Monday that a third of the 217 destinations it surveyed remained fully closed to international tourists because of fears about new variants of the coronavirus.

It said some governments had relaxed travel restrictions in recent months, as the main strain of the virus had apparently been brought under control, but reintroduced them over fears about the new strains. But it noted that around half of off-limits destinations have been inaccessible since April 27.