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The airline has announced that from 13 August it will require passengers travelling from select countries to provide a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test result at check-in, taken a maximum of 72 hours prior to departure at an approved laboratory; a completed consent form must also be presented. The new restriction will initially be applicable to arrivals from Armenia, Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Iran, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia and Sri Lanka. It is also applicable to Erbil International Airport (EBL) in Iraq.

Edwardian Hotels in London and Manchester have implemented new operating procedures to ensure traveller safety during their stay. The protocols are approved by SGS, a world-leading testing and certification body.

From today, 10 August, the city of Paris has made the wearing of face masks mandatory for anyone over the age of 11 in busy outdoor areas to curb a rise in COVID-19 infections. Among the areas included are the banks of the River Seine, and a number of open-air markets.

The local government of Hawaii have announced that from 11 August it will partially reinstate an inter-island quarantine which was previously lifted in June. It will now be in effect until at least 31 August and a 14-day quarantine will be required for passengers arriving in the counties of Kauai, Hawaii, Maui and Kalawao.

The government of Australia has confirmed that strict caps on international arrivals, previously put in place to ease the pressure on government sanctioned hotel quarantine facilities, will continue until at least 24 October. This includes, but is not limited to, caps in Sydney of 350 passenger arrivals per day; Perth, 525 passenger arrivals per week and Brisbane, 500 passenger arrivals per week.

The UK government has announced that from 04.00 (local time) on 8 August, both arrivals and returning passengers from Andorra, Belgium and the Bahamas will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days due to the countries being removed from the UK's travel corridor exemption list. In addition, the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has also advised British nationals against all but essential travel to these destinations, based on the risk currently presented due to their levels of COVID-19.

Celebrity Cruises, a member of the Royal Caribbean group, has re-confirmed that the majority of sailings globally have been voluntarily extended until at least 31 October. In a statement the operator cited that the health and safety of their guests, crew, and the communities they visit is their top priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. The suspension currently only excludes sailings from China and Australia.

The U.S. State Department yesterday, 6 August, urged citizens not to travel to Mexico despite easing a global travel ban, citing a rapid spread in COVID-19 within Mexico among other considerations. Despite close commercial ties across the world's busiest land border, this decision means that Mexico remains on an advisory level four - the highest classification which, outside of the now listed global advisory, is usually reserved for countries at war.

The country’s government has delayed plans for a ‘travel bubble’ agreement with select countries following a rise in COVID-19 infection numbers in both Thailand and other Asian countries, in a move which is expected to put pressure on its vital tourism industry and complicate efforts to revive its economy. The idea was first proposed in June, however for now has been shelved.

The country’s government has made COVID-19 pre-testing prior to arrival mandatory; anyone not able to present a negative PCR (Polymerized Chain Reaction) COVID-19 test, result obtained a maximum of seven days prior to departure, will be refused boarding at their port of origin.

The Dubai-based airline has announced that from 16 August it will operate five flights per week to Toronto Pearson International Airport on its flagship Airbus A380; this will take the total number of cities served by Emirates' flagship aircraft to six.

The country's government has announced that it will not raise a limit on public gatherings which was originally planned for this month, following a spike in COVID-19 infections. As part of the Denmark’s gradual reopening following a lockdown to curb the spread of the virus, the government had previously planned to raise the limit on public gatherings to 200 people on 8 August, up from the current limit of 100 people.

The U.S. State Department has announced that from 6 August, the country is no longer advising against all international travel. This means that a global level four health advisory will now be lifted which has been in place since 19 March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The country's government does however recommend that citizens exercise caution when travelling abroad due to the unpredictable nature of the pandemic. All countries will now be rated on a level from one to four, depending on the severity of their outbreaks.

The Cayman Islands has extended its border closure by at least another 30 days until 1 October, at which time a further decision will be made. While the borders remain closed, the Cayman Islands has issued a reminder that anyone who does enter the destination must be quarantined for 14 days in a government facility and will require a negative COVID-19 PCR test prior to travelling or returning to their accommodation.

The national airline of the Philippines has announced that from 15 August, they will require passengers to wear protective face shields, in addition to face masks; it is unclear whether or not they will be provided by the airline at this stage. The new measure is one of many employed by the airline to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission, including thermal scanning and protective shields at airport service desks.

The airline has announced the resumption of services to Nairobi, Kenya with 14 weekly flights and to Kigali, Rwanda with three weekly flights. With the addition of Kigali and Nairobi, the airline now operates 33 weekly flights to eight destinations in Africa including Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Djibouti, Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar and Tunis.

The government of Austria have announced that from 10 August it will advise the country's citizens against travel to Spain, excluding the Canary and Balearic Islands. Anyone arriving in or returning to Austria from Spain will now be required to present a negative test result for COVID-19.

The regional government of Spain's Canary Islands has announced that all tourists visiting the islands will have any potential COVID-19 related costs covered. This includes both medical costs and any possible required extension of holidays required in the case of quarantine measures undertaken while visitors are on the islands. Included among the Canary Islands are the popular European holiday destinations of Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Tenerife and La Palma.

The two U.S. airlines have announced that they will block middle seats through to October 2020 in order to aid social distancing and prevent the spread of COVID-19. Alaska Airlines will do so through to 31 October, and jetBlue has set a current deadline of 15 October; both airlines will however still allow for the use of middle seats for larger parties who wish to sit together.

The city of Amsterdam yesterday, 5 August, began mandating the use of face masks in crowded areas such as its 'Red Light' district, in a localised drive against COVID-19 which stands in contrast to the country's national policy. City workers will continue to hand out masks to both tourists and residents in busier areas, and will inform them that failure to wear them could result in a fine of 95 Euros (USD112).