13 tourist hot spots planning to reopen this July

The Bahamas plans to reopen to commercial travel on July 1, and has put together a very detailed outline of its guidelines and best practices.

Travelers arriving in The Bahamas will need to submit a "travel health certificate" — an online form with questions about their health — and must present a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than 10 days prior to arrival. They will also face temperature checks. Social distancing and wearing masks in public are required.

According to Johns Hopkins, the Bahamas saw 104 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 11 related deaths at the time of writing.

Bermuda plans to welcome tourists arriving by air from July 1. They will have to show proof of health insurance, and present a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of departure or take a test upon arrival, quarantining at their accommodation for eight to 24 hours — the time the tourism authority says it typically takes to obtain results. At the time of writing, the island nation "is finalising a detailed plan for anyone who tests positive during their visit," according to the Bermuda Tourism Authority.

Visitors are asked to maintain physical distance and wear face masks in public for the duration of their stay, and are also asked to have their temperature taken twice a day while there.

According to Johns Hopkins, the British island territory saw 104 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 11 related deaths at the time of writing.

Vietnam — which was praised for its decisive action in containing the coronavirus — is slowly reopening.

According to its government online newspaper VGP News, Vietnam will begin issuing e-visas to international travelers from 80 countries starting July 1.

These e-visas will be valid for entry at eight international airports, 16 international border gates, and 13 seaports across the country, meaning tourists can enter Vietnam by air, land, and sea.

Vietnam saw 352 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and no related deaths at the time of writing, per Johns Hopkins.

According to an interview with Lucien Echavarria, director of the Dominican Republic's Ministry of Tourism in Caribbean Journal, the island nation is expected to open back up to international tourism from July 1, when commercial international flights are set to resume. Echavarria said that around half the country's hotels will be open by then, with the rest aiming to reopen in November.

While she added that health and safety precautions will be put in place, details of what those may entail have yet to be released, though Echavarria said that visitors will likely face temperature checks and other health measures upon arrival.

The Dominican Republic saw 29,141 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 698 related deaths at the time of writing, per Johns Hopkins.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines will open to visitors from other countries on July 1. According to guidelines published by its tourism board and shared on Twitter, arrivals will have to fill out a coronavirus-related questionnaire and take a mandatory COVID-19 test upon arrival, quarantining until they get their results, which they say typically take 24 hours. Visitors can bypass this quarantine by presenting a negative COVID-19 test taken within two days before their arrival, or an antibody test taken within five days before their arrival. They should also expect temperature checks and health screenings at the airport.

According to Johns Hopkins, the Caribbean country saw 29 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and no deaths at the time of writing.

According to Reuters, international air traffic is expected to resume to Egypt on July 1, but only to certain seaside destinations.

While local hotels reopened at a reduced capacity to domestic travelers last month, foreign travelers will be limited to resorts in southern Sinai, the Red Sea province, and Marsa Matrouh.

According to Johns Hopkins, Egypt saw 58,141 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 2,365 related deaths at the time of writing.

European Best Destinations deemed Georgia one of the "safest" destinations in Europe for post-pandemic travel, saying that it's one of the world's least affected countries with 260 times fewer cases than some of the most affected European countries.

While domestic tourism resumed June 15, Georgia will allow international tourists from July 1, and is promoting itself as a safe destination that has been successful in the fight against the coronavirus, according to a local news outlet.

What, if any, restrictions will be placed on arrivals has yet to be announced, according to the US Embassy in Georgia.

According to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Research Center, Georgia has seen 914 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 14 related deaths at the time of writing.

Malta International Airport is expected to reopen on July 1, but only to travelers from Germany, Austria, Sicily, Cyprus, Switzerland, Sardinia, Iceland, Slovakia, Norway, Denmark, Hungary, Finland, Ireland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Italy (except from Emilia Romagna, Lombardy, and Piemonte), France (except from Ile de France), Spain (except from Madrid, Catalonia, and Castilla-La Mancha, Castile, and Leon), Poland (except from Katowice Airport), Greece, and Croatia.

However, according to Malta's visitor's bureau, Malta's Prime Minister Robert Abela said that restrictions on all other destinations will be lifted on July 15. While it doesn't seem like arrivals will face any sort of testing at this time, social distancing and the use of a face mask remain recommended.

According to Johns Hopkins, Malta has seen 665 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and nine related deaths at the time of writing. Like Georgia, it was also on European Best Destinations' list of the "safest" destinations in Europe for post-pandemic travel.

According to a statement from the Government of Dubai, Dubai is expected to allow tourists from July 7. However, the same statement says that international visitors will have to prove that they have health insurance, fill out a Health Declaration Form, and present a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than 96 hours prior to departure, or take a test upon landing at the airport. Should they then test positive, they'll have to undergo mandatory quarantine for 14 days, the statement says.

All arrivals are required to undergo thermal screening as well. According to the statement, "if a traveler is suspected to have COVID-19 symptoms, Dubai airports have the right to re-test to ensure the tourist is free of the virus."

Visitors must also download and register their details on Dubai's COVID-19 DXB app, a coronavirus tracking app.

According to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, the United Arab Emirates saw 45,683 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 305 related deaths at the time of writing.

French Polynesia, which includes famous destinations such as Tahiti and Bora Bora, will reopen its borders to international tourism on July 15, according to a press release from its government. However, initially, this will only be for flights coming from Europe and the US, the press release says.

Non-residents will need to present travel insurance that could cover potential COVID-19 expenses, and proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than 72 hours prior to departure, according to the same press release. They'll also have to fill out a form with all of their relevant contact details for the duration of their stay, and sign a waiver confirming that they have no symptoms and that commits them to follow all rules and guidelines in place meant to slow down the spread of the coronavirus, such as wearing a mask in public when social distancing isn't possible. They may also face random testing.

According to its tourism authority, French Polynesia has had no active cases of COVID-19 since May 29. According to the World Health Organization, it has seen 60 confirmed cases and no deaths.

The US territory is opening up to tourism on July 15.

According to its official tourism site, the Puerto Rico National Guard is conducting health screenings at San Juan's Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, which includes rapid COVID-19 tests. However, passengers may be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days, regardless of their symptoms.

Discover Puerto Rico has put together comprehensive health and safety guidelines that visitors can expect on the island, including that restaurants should operate at 50% capacity and perform temperature checks, and that all drivers should be wearing gloves and disinfecting vehicles. Face masks and social distancing are still required at the time of writing.

According to Johns Hopkins, Puerto Rico saw 6,820 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 149 related deaths at the time of writing.

According to the Maldives' Ministry of Tourism, it will be "restarting Maldives Tourism" on July 15, having closed its borders on March 27.

It also published 27 pages of guidelines for all tourism-related establishments to adhere to, which covers everything from how to handle guest luggage (use gloves and throw these out "in a foot operated closed bin immediately after luggage transportation is complete") to having resorts require staff to wear masks, as well as "keep adequate stock of medically certified PPE."

Visitors must have a confirmed booking at a local resort or guest house in order to obtain their entry visa, and must stay at that same resort for the duration of their trip.

Upon landing, they'll face temperature checks and random COVID-19 testing, though for the most part tests will be given only to those "exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms including, but not limited to, cough, runny nose or shortness of breath." The government says it won't pay for these tests.

According to Johns Hopkins, the Maldives saw 2,238 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and eight related deaths at the time of writing.

The British overseas territory, which is made up of 40 small islands, is welcoming back visitors from July 22, according to a statement by its tourism board.

The British Overseas Territory plans to implement health and safety guidelines, but, according to the statement, what these entail will be announced in the coming weeks. "In the days and weeks leading up to the re-opening of our borders, the Ministry of Tourism, in close partnership with the Ministry of Health and our key stakeholders within the sector, will be working expeditiously to guarantee the destination's readiness," the statement says.

According to Johns Hopkins, Turks and Caicos saw 14 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and one related death at the time of writing.