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Austria will open border for tourists from all across the world, including GCC, from July 1
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The move comes as the European country post looks to implement a post-Covid-19 strategy
Austria has announced that it will open its border for tourists from all across the world, including those in the Gulf Cooperation Council, from July 1, said local reports on Tuesday, June 29.
The move comes as the European country post looks to implement a post-Covid-19 strategy where it resumes social and economic activities with safety measures in place, said the reports.
They added that fully-vaccinated citizens and residents from the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar can travel to Austria from July 1 without needing to be quarantined. The need for a valid Schengen visa will reportedly be considered on a case-to-case basis.
Travelers from Saudi Arabia can already enter Austria with no quarantine on arrival by presenting a negative Covid-19 test, or proof of vaccination, or past infection report upon entry, said the reports, adding that these documents can be either in German or English.
Austria will also reportedly allow, without quarantine, unvaccinated children under the age of 18 traveling with vaccinated parents.
The vaccines Austria recognizes include those by BioNtech/Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Sinopharm, and Sinovac.
The Austrian National Tourist Office’s Middle East section Director Robert Gröblacher was quoted by the reports as saying: “Welcoming travelers from the GCC is not only a revival to the tourism scene in Austria, but also a great opportunity to explore and exchange experiences, strengthen cross-cultural ties, and join forces in bridging between people to better promote travel and tourism.”