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The government of Hong Kong has announced that it will suspend flights from India, Pakistan and the Philippines from 20 April for two weeks after a mutant COVID-19 strain was detected in the Asian financial hub for the first time. The three countries will now be classified as 'extremely high risk' for the virus, after there have been multiple imported cases carrying the strain into Hong Kong in the past 14 days, the government have said.

The country's government has announced that its capital of New Delhi will be under a strict COVID-19 'lockdown' for six days from the evening of Monday 19 April, following the news that India's healthcare system is at breaking point due to the worsening spikes in cases of the virus.

The German low-cost airline, a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group, has announced that from July it will launch three new flight connections from its hub in Dusseldorf; this includes services to Russia for the first time – to Ekaterinburg in Siberia and Krasnodar in southern Russia. There will also be departures to Georgian capital Tbilisi.

The Dubai-based airline has announced that, in line with Bangladesh government directives, passenger flights to and from Bangladesh are to be suspended with effect from 14 April 2021 until 20 April 2021; customers travelling to and from Dhaka will not be accepted for travel. The last flight Emirates will operate before the temporary suspension of services is EK585 that is scheduled to depart from Dhaka at 01.40 (local time) on 14 April.

The government of Hong Kong announced today, 12 April, that it plans to loosen some COVID-19 restrictions locally for vaccinated residents from 29 April. Bars and pubs, which are currently closed, will be allowed to resume operations in phases provided all staff and customers have been vaccinated. Visitation to public hospitals and care homes could also be permitted for vaccinated people.

The government of Bangladesh has announced that it will suspend all international and domestic passenger flights between the 14-20 of April following a spike in COVID-19 infections. More than 500 flights will be cancelled, including chartered helicopter flights. However, exceptions will be made for medical evacuations and humanitarian relief.

The country's government has announced that it will suspend international arrivals from India in response to a high number of arrivals testing positive for COVID-19. The suspension of entry applies to all who have been in India in the previous 14 days, including New Zealand citizens and residents, and will be in place until at least 28 April.

The country's government has announced further restrictions to be placed upon airlines and international arrivals; a limit of no more than 100 passengers per flight for international airlines will now be enforced. The change is to ensure sufficient quarantine facilities for inbound travellers. Due to the emergence of COVID-19 variants, all passengers must spend the first three days of quarantine at a government facility, before proceeding to undertake the remainder of the two-week quarantine in a hotel or other booked accommodation.

The country's foreign ministry announced today, 11 March, that France will ease some COVID-19 restrictions on international travel outside of Europe; passengers arriving to or from Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Israel, Japan, Britain and Singapore will no longer need a compelling reason to travel. All other restrictions, such as a requirement for a negative COVID-19 test result obtained no more than 72 hours before travel, will remain in place. An official decree with further, confirmed information is due to be published on 12 March.

The airline has announced that from 15 March it will begin testing the International Air Transport Association's 'Travel Pass' mobile health verification app on flights from Singapore to London; from this date, passengers on that route using Apple iOS-enabled phones will be able to download the app and create a digital identification with their photo and passport information. They also can submit flight information and book a COVID-19 test at one of seven participating clinics in Singapore, after which their test results can be viewed directly in the app. Check-in staff at Singapore's Changi airport can then verify their status via the app, which will speed up the check-in process.

The country's government has announced a new plan as part of efforts to boost tourism, allowing visitors to undergo a COVID-19 quarantine period on board yachts located in the waters around Phuket, in Thailand's gulf. Members of the Royal Thai Navy will monitor and track the boats, and once visitors complete their 14-day quarantine they'll be permitted to moor at a dock in Phuket and enter the island. Qualifying visitors must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test result, and will also have their health and location monitored via a smart wristband.

The country's government has announced that from 'next month', it will reduce its mandatory COVID-19 quarantine period for international arrivals from 14 days to seven, for those arriving in the country having already been vaccinated against the virus. Vaccinations must have been administered within three months prior to arrival, and visitors will still be required to show negative COVID-19 test results obtained a maximum of three days prior to their departure.

The country's government has announced the launch of a digital COVID-19 vaccination certificate for its citizens planning cross-border travels. In a statement issued on China's foreign ministry website, it's stated that the certificates hold details about the holder’s COVID-19 vaccination information and test results; however, it's not immediately clear with which countries China is forming an agreement with for the use of these certificates. Domestically, China has not yet announced any relaxation of quarantine restrictions for people arriving in China who are vaccinated against COVID-19.

The hotel brand has announced that from this month, event planner partners who book or have booked an event at any U.S. property will gain access to the 'EventReady Playbook' - a manual including a list of third party partners that can provide a variety of COVID-19 testing and health screening options; among other options this will include same day, on-site COVID-19 testing.

The country's government has announced that from 3 March it is welcoming business travellers with the launch of the 'safe travel' portal, which contains information and advisory services for both short- and long-term business travellers. Short-term business travellers staying in the country for 14 days or less may now be considered for exemption from mandatory quarantine, subject to the approval. Business travellers must however obtain relevant visas, if applicable, from the respective embassy or high commission prior to departure for Malaysia.

The airline - the national carrier of Bahrain - has announced that it will resume flights to Singapore from 1 April. Operated by the flagship Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, the Singapore route will be added to Bangkok and Manila in the list of Asian destination offered by the carrier.

The country's government has announced that it will now require passengers arriving from some destinations deemed 'high-risk' for COVID-19 to complete 14 days of self-quarantine prior to departure. The new rule applies to a number of African countries including the Republic of Congo, Seychelles, and South Africa, as well as other high-risk locations including Egypt, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia, according to the respective Chinese embassy websites. Passengers will also now be requited to take COVID-19 PCR and antibody tests at designated venues within 48 hours of boarding to qualify for a green health code. Upon arrival in China, travellers will not be exempt from standard quarantine requirements.

The low-cost Kuwait-based airline has announced that it will be launching direct flights between Kuwait and the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo twice per week; the first service is due to depart on 21 February.

The country's government has published updated entry restrictions for international arrivals from some countries, in a further bid to limit the spread of new variants of COVID-19; if passengers have been in or transited through the UK, South Africa , Japan or Brazil within the previous 15 days they won't be permitted to enter Mauritius until at least 28 February. Arrivals must also undergo COVID-19 (PCR) testing no more than seven days prior to departure for Mauritius, in addition to testing on arrival, and and on days seven and 14 of a mandatory hotel quarantine period. Locally, social distancing measures and face masks are mandated in public, including in workplaces and on public transport.

The middle-eastern airline has announced that it will be resuming flights to Moscow from 2 March, in addition to once again connecting to other destinations such as the Maldives and Zanzibar from its Doha hub. The airline is to resume three flights per week to Moscow, operated by an Airbus A320 offering 12 seats in business class and 120 seats in economy.