Although the Canadian government has announced it plans to re-open their borders to vaccinated United States citizens on August 9, the United States government extended the closure of land borders with Canada and Mexico to non-essential travel through August 21.
Via a press release, the Department of Homeland Security said the agency is “in constant contact with Canadian and Mexican counterparts to identify the conditions under which restrictions may be eased safely and sustainably.” The U.S. has continued to extend the restrictions on Canada and Mexico on a monthly basis since March 2020.
Although the land crossings are closed to non-essential travel, the United States has always allowed Canadians and Mexicans to arrive by plane. However, all passengers are required to present proof of a negative COVID-19 test before entry will be granted. In fact, tourism to Mexico’s beaches was among the first hot-spots to rebound beginning in late 2020. News of the border closure never stopped flights or travelers from booking.
U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes said in a statement:
“Every day that our borders remain closed further delays our industry’s recovery, causing greater damage to the millions of Americans whose livelihoods depend on travel. The continued closure of the Canadian border alone costs the U.S. economy $1.5 billion in potential travel exports each month.”
“Given the strong vaccination rates on both sides of the border, it is possible to safely reopen to our No. 1 source market for international visitors. Land travel accounted for more than half of all overnight visits to the U.S. by Canadians pre-pandemic, generating significant travel exports that support vital American jobs.
“Canada made the right call in releasing a timeline for vaccinated Americans to cross the land border and visit, and it is past time that the U.S. reciprocates: There is no difference between a fully vaccinated Canadian and a fully vaccinated American. We urge the Biden administration to determine a date and a plan as quickly as possible to welcome Canadian visitors at U.S. land borders.”
Following the statement, Reuters is now reporting that President Joe Biden’s administration has a series of high-level meetings scheduled this week to discuss easing travel restrictions and the possibility of mandating COVID-19 vaccines for visitors at land crossings.
