Vegas to Open Fully June 1, Plus Tourism News From Israel, New York + More

Las Vegas, Reno and the rest of Nevada's hotel casinos can begin to operate at full capacity starting June 1, says Governor Steve Sisolak.

"The wide availability and rapid administration of vaccines will allow our valued events industry to reconvene with confidence and in its entirety," Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said in a statement. "Las Vegas will continue providing the gold standard for health, wellness and safety precautions for the benefit of its workforce, the community and our visitors."

New York state says it has lifted its COVID-19 testing and quarantine requirements for inbound international travellers. The move comes on the heels of another policy change, which ended New York's quarantine mandate on visitors arriving from other U.S. states and territories as of April 1.

"Asymptomatic travelers entering New York from another country, U.S. state, or territory are no longer required to test or quarantine as of April 10, 2021," the state Department of Health said on its website.

The state said that a quarantine, consistent with guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is still recommended for all travellers who are not fully vaccinated or have not recovered from laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 during the previous three months.

Malta, a tiny speck of a country south of Italy, is highly dependent on tourism. Which explains why they're paying folks (well, almost) to visit.

The island's tourism board is offering payouts for hotel stays of at least three nights. The amount someone can get is based on the type of hotel they bed down at.

A five-star hotel stay of at least three nights would generate a savings of 200 Euros ($300 CAD), while a four-star hotel stay generates 75 Euros ($150 CAD) in savings. A three-star hotel for three nights nets a savings of 50 Euros, about $100 CAD.

Not bad.

The Israel Ministry of Tourism says it will open its borders to international travellers starting May 23, but only if they've been vaccinated.

Israel has been closed to tourism for more than a year.

The first phase of re-opening will include a pilot program that allows a select number of tour groups to visit Israel. The number of groups will then increase based on the overall health situation and progress/success of the program. Individual travellers will be welcomed in a later phase of reopening, possibly in July.

A major step forward for tourism, for sure.