Before the pandemic, the tourism sector made up a significant part of Lithuania’s economy, amounting to over €977.8M in total spent every year. In 2019, almost 2 million tourists visited the country. Now, Lithuania is finally ready to welcome back travelers, as, starting February 5th, tourists from the EU and EEA areas will need only one certificate indicating that a person is either fully vaccinated, has recovered from COVID within 180 days, or has a recent negative COVID test. It is expected that less restricted traveling will drive the country’s tourism sector towards a faster recovery.
Moreover, from this Saturday people in Lithuania will no longer be required to present a National Certificate (or another Covid-related document) to access indoor public spaces including tourist accommodations, restaurants, museums, sport or cultural event venues, and other facilities. Only individual security measures, such as wearing masks or respirators indoors and distance-keeping are applied.
Lithuanian government’s decision followed the recent recommendation of the World Health Organization to lift or ease travel restrictions because such measures may cause economic and social harm. Currently, Lithuania is one of the most open countries in Europe for international travel; recent regulatory changes have made it the perfect hassle-free destination, especially for travelers that have been fully vaccinated and received a booster shot on time.
“These are big steps back to normality in the tourism sector. Statistics show that people’s desire to travel remains at a very high level all over the world. We are happy that Lithuania eases restrictions to be more open to foreign visitors because, especially this year, there is so much to see and experience in Lithuania and its biggest cities,” said Olga Gončarova, General Manager of Lithuania Travel, the national tourism development agency.
Aside from lush nature and historical sites, this year Lithuania will have a lot to offer for city breakers with Kaunas European Capital of Culture and capital Vilnius events related to its upcoming 700th anniversary. As most touristic attractions are now open in Lithuania, visitors can easily explore the country with minimal limitations, such as wearing medical masks in indoor public spaces while FFP2 grade respirators are required during indoor events.
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