Europe Has Reopened To Tourists But It’s Still Pretty Complicated For Canadians To Visit

Although the European Union (EU) has started to reopen to travellers from all over the world, including Canada, there's still a lot to consider before booking a trip abroad.

Back in May, ambassadors of the 27-country bloc approved a European Commission proposal to allow fully vaccinated travellers into the EU.

Since then, European countries have begun opening their borders to tourists, including Canadians, but each place has its own individual set of travel rules and restrictions.

For example, France is accepting international visitors who've been fully vaccinated with one of the four EU-approved vaccines (Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson) and some travellers will need to provide a negative COVID-19 test, too.

Spain is also welcoming fully vaccinated visitors, but they must have official proof of vaccination certificate issued by a health authority.

As each country has different regulations for incoming visitors right now, it's worth checking and double-checking the rules before you consider booking a vacation.

It's also worth keeping in mind that the Canadian government continues to advise against all non-essential travel abroad. That said, the feds recently confirmed that fully-vaccinated Canadians will no longer have to self-isolate for two weeks or stay in a mandatory quarantine hotel upon their return to Canada.

Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.