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Starting early November, US borders will be open for travelers from Mexico and Canada who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 for non-essential purposes, including to visit friends and family or for tourism, via land and ferry border crossings.

The United States to ease travel restrictions on all fully vaccinated foreign visitors starting in November, the White House said Monday, relaxing a patchwork of bans that had begun to cause fury in Europe and replacing them with more uniform requirements for inbound international air passengers.

Americans who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will be allowed to cross the Canadian border beginning on August 9.

As of July 19, U.S. visitors who have been vaccinated, have a negative PCR test within 72 hours of arrival or have recovered from COVID-19 in the last six months will be able to visit Ireland and they will not have to quarantine.

Hilton has announced updates to their 'Hilton Honors' rewards program for all members, including the extension of points validity, faster paths to elite status and the ability to retain current status for longer; full details are available on the Hilton website.

The international hotel and resort brand has announced a ‘Travel at Ease’ initiative, which is a complimentary program for customers at its resorts in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Mexico and Brazil. Under the initiative guests can receive COVID-19 testing if showing symptoms, stay-extensions in case of illness, access to isolation rooms, medical monitoring, contactless room service and partial refunds in case of early departure.

The hotel brand has launched a new ‘Work from Hyatt’ package which includes a number of benefits designed to optimise a remote working experience, for those who would like a change of scene during their workday, whether that be where they’re already based or while travelling. Among the inclusions are workspace solutions incorporating connecting rooms and meeting rooms, daily food and beverage credit and waived resort fees.

Sun City’s hotels and casino, located in South Africa's north-west at the border of Pilanesberg National Park, is due to re-open from 2 September, according to a notice on the resort's website. The Valley of the Waves and Sun Central, adjoining entertainment centres with retailers and restaurants, will though remain closed until further notice. Only hotel residents, MVG members and guests with confirmed golf bookings will be allowed to enter the resort, which will adhere to strict COVID-19 health protocols including hand sanitising, temperature checks, the completion of medical screening questionnaires and the wearing of a mask at all times.

The U.S. luxury hospitality brand has announced that from 21 August it will suspend operations at two Universal Orlando resorts - the Loews Sapphire Falls Resort and Universal's Aventura Hotel. In a statement, Loews said that in the current climate they have decided to consolidate their hotel operations. It is currently unclear when the resorts may be set to re-open.

The South African hotel and entertainment brand has announced that with inter-provincial borders within the country now open and restrictions on alcohol now lifted, its hotels will also begin to-reopen for guests; Sun International has accordingly published the re-opening dates of each property along with the answers to many frequently asked questions. All hotels now bear the World Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) safe stamp of approval, verifying that the COVID-19 health and safety protocols they have in place meet international benchmarks.

The brand, who own and operate luxury resorts across predominantly Mexico and the Caribbean, have published update and adjusted re-opening dates for a number of their resorts. If guests with advance bookings have been affected by extended closure, they are to be granted additional flexibility for re-booking and a complimentary extra night.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has announced that, in line with the American Hotel & Lodging Association's guest checklist, from 10 August guests in all locations in the United States and Canada will be required to wear face masks in all indoor public spaces; the company will inform guests of the new policy ahead of their arrival, and there also will be signage at each hotel. Similar announcements have recently been made by brands including Marriott International, Hyatt Hotels Corp. and InterContinental Hotels Group.