International travelers will no longer have to produce a negative COVID-19 test to get into the US, officials said Friday morning, a rule change celebrated by a lagging travel industry as well as countless stressed-out passengers dreading a last-minute scramble to get swabbed overseas.
The change will go into effect on Sunday.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was expected to make a formal announcement Friday.
Since October, travelers entering the US have had to show a negative test results taken no more than one day before travel, often at a cost of $ 50 or more. It is a requirement that many countries have abandoned in recent months.
The COVID testing reprieve is “tremendous,” said Joe D’Alessandro, president and CEO of the San Francisco Travel Association.
The policy change is expected to bring an additional 5.4 million international visitors to the US and $ 9 billion more in travel spending, he said. This year, he expects over 1.8 million international arrivals to San Francisco, up 124% from 2021.
“Now travelers from other countries will be more confident in booking business trips and vacations to the US,” he said in a statement, adding it will be a boon for the city and its businesses. “This will benefit San Francisco, which has always been one of the most popular destinations for international travelers.”
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The CDC reportedly has determined that the negative test requirement, which went into effect last year, is no longer necessary given case rate data and ongoing research. Still, the agency is expected to reassess its decision in 90 days and will reinstate the mandate if officials decide it is necessary.
The move comes almost two months after a federal judge struck down the federal mandate requiring masks on airplanes and other public transportation.
The travel industry has lobbied against the negative test requirement for months, saying that it was hurting the industry’s recovery and discouraging people from visiting the US
For US travelers going abroad, the test requirement meant the possibility of getting stuck in another country just as you’re scheduled to return home. One Oakland couple forced to isolate with COVID in Berlin last month warned others to put their trips on hold.
“Please wait,” Lisa Scimens wrote in an email to the Chronicle at the time. “The world will still be here once COVID is really under control.”
Airlines, hotels and other tourism industries feared many potential travelers have done just that, fearing they could get stuck in quarantine overseas, unable to get back to work or family as planned.
According to the US Travel Association, “international arrivals to the US are still far below pre-pandemic levels and are not projected to recover to 2019 levels by 2024.”
“Before the pandemic, travel was the second-largest US industry export and generated a positive trade balance of $ 53 billion,” US Travel Association president and CEO Roger Dow said in a press release. “Inbound travel is critical to reducing the overall trade deficit, but the pre-departure testing requirement remains an unnecessary hurdle to regaining visitors and competing for global tourism dollars.”
Travel leaders were quick to celebrate the change on Friday. Scott Kirby, the CEO of United Airlines, which has a hub at SFO, thanked the administration for the move.
“This is another important step, not just for air travel, but also for all the tourism jobs that international travel supports,” he said in a statement.
Those in the local travel industry echoed hopes for a boost in Bay Area visitors. A spokesperson for Oakland International Airport said they welcomed the easier travel.
“Our number one priority at Oakland International Airport is to ensure the safe and secure use of our facility,” they said in a statement. “We hope that this decision will further stimulate demand for international travel both among the members of our community as well as international travelers that can now more easily visit the San Francisco Bay Area to conduct business, visit friends and family, and experience our world- famous tourist attractions. ”
Danielle Echeverria is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: danielle.echeverria@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DanielleEchev
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