European countries open to tourism 2021
Indice
Read on because here you will find everything you need to know if you can travel to France now, what measures are being followed and what interesting places you can include in your next European adventure.
As you can see, you’ll be able to travel to France now and enjoy that vacation you’ve been looking forward to. The next step is to start planning, so you’re probably wondering which places are the most interesting and what you can’t miss in each of them. At IATI we advise you to focus on the south of the country and make a wonderful route by car that passes through destinations such as the following:
What are the must-sees? The Place du Capitole, where the town hall and the Opera House are located, is a must. Other interesting sites are the Place Victor Hugo market, the Jacobins Convent, the Basilica of St. Saturnin, the Cathedral of St. Etienne, the Hotel d’Assezat or the Musée des Agustins. Even so, what we recommend is to get lost in charming streets such as Rue Henri de Gorsse, Rue de Blanchers or Rue Sant-Antonie du T. and, of course, walk along the Garonne River and contemplate its bridges.
Is it possible to travel in February 2021?
“To take to the next Council of Ministers an agreement to restrict flights from South Africa and Botswana, and also from other countries, but in principle these two. And we are also going to adopt the requirement for high-risk countries not only to be vaccinated, but also to have an antigen and PCR test”, the minister assured on TVE.
France has suspended Friday flights from Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and Eswatini (former Swaziland) immediately and for at least 48 hours after the discovery of a new and worrying variant of the coronavirus.
“These measures seek to protect against the arrival of this virus,” said Health Minister Olivier Véran, who recalled that it is a new variant that spreads rapidly but that for the moment there are few cases.
For its part, the Dutch government has also decided this Friday to suspend all flights from southern African countries, although in this case, without detailing the duration of this suspension of air traffic.
Journey to the heart of the Sahel, where the desert is at its deadliest
If you are a citizen of another country and want to travel to South Africa, then you need a visa. The “visitor” visa is for international travelers permanently residing outside South Africa. It is also for those who wish to visit the country on a more temporary basis for tourism or business purposes. But it does not last forever. Once you get it, the visa is valid for no more than 90 days.
So, now you are in the country. While you are here, the visa is considered a visitor’s permit. The period of validity of the permit is counted from the date you arrived and will be stated under the heading “conditions” on the visa label.
It is important to make sure that you apply for the correct visa or permit. Otherwise, entry into the country may be refused if the purpose of the visit is not stated correctly.
Depending on where you are from, visa requirements are different from country to country and are subject to change. Each application is treated as an individual case, so you should inquire at the nearest South African consulate or mission abroad or any Department of Home Affairs office to see if you are even supposed to apply for a visa.
Requirements and health pass to travel to France in 2022
At the multilateral level, France contributes 12 % (with $55.7 million between 2014 and 2016) to the credits of the global fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria dedicated to South Africa ($464.8 million).
With a trade surplus of around €1 billion for France, South Africa constitutes a major partner. Although France’s market share is on a downward trend, it is still significant, at 2.3% of the market, and the country is South Africa’s 4th largest European supplier.
The bilateral relationship also benefits from the presence of more than 300 French companies, including 29 CAC40 companies, which cover almost all industrial and service sectors and fully respect the local rules imposed by the authorities on local presence (e.g. 65% in the transport sector) and positive discrimination (employment, training). In this respect, companies contribute actively to the industrialization of the country, which allows South Africa to progressively increase its level despite structural constraints that remain strong (starting with a weak education system).