The US government's dropping of its requirement for visitors from abroad to be vaccinated against Covid has been welcomed by the travel industry.
“The relaxation of the vaccination requirement for foreign nationals removes barriers for frictionless travel to the USA, our heartland for nearly 40 years," said a spokesman for Virgin Atlantic.
The removal of the requirement, which more than a year after other western countries began removing similar rules, "will give a boost to transatlantic customer demand as a busy summer approaches", the carrier's spokesman added.
Geoff Freeman, president and chief executive of industry body the US Travel Association, said the relaxation "eases a significant entry barrier for many global travellers, moving our industry and country forward".