With the roll out of COVID-19 vaccines around the world, many countries are now preparing to ease lockdown travel restrictions to a greater extent.
The changes will primarily be beneficial for those who have been longing to be reunited with family and friends, but it will also be welcomed by those simply in need of a holiday. However, unlike in pre-pandemic years, many travelers may now be required to carry a valid vaccine passport as several governments gear up to open their borders to visitors.
In a recent 17-country study, we asked members of the public whether they agreed that travelers should be required to provide a vaccine passport upon entering a country. The results were overwhelmingly supportive of the notion.
Much of the population in India (85%) and Indonesia (86%) agree that international travelers should present proof of their vaccination against COVID-19. This high degree of inclination to agree can also be observed in Australia (79%), which had sealed its border last year for international travelers, as well as in China (80%), Singapore and Mexico (82%).
With life returning to normal, the majority of people in Great Britain and UAE also show high levels of support (77% and 76%, respectively). Likewise, as vaccination drives continue full swing, a substantial majority of the population in Italy (75%), Spain (74%), Denmark (71%) and Sweden (68%) also want tourists to carry a vaccine passport.
Having played host to several foreign strains of coronavirus, nearly three in five people (62%) in the US and France agree that international travelers should carry vaccine passport before entering their country. A significant level of support can also be observed in Germany (61%), Hong Kong (60%) and Poland (54%) as positive cases continue to dip here, with some moderate travel restrictions.
A closer look at the data in many countries reveals that older groups tend to be more likely to agree to the use of vaccine passports. When compared to the rest of the population, adults above the age of 55 in countries such as the US (69%), Great Britain (86%) and Australia (85%) display the greater levels of agreement than younger age cohorts in each respective country.
As travel restrictions continue to loosen in most countries, holidaymakers are no doubt keen to begin their hunt for the perfect vacation spots. For many, it may be that a vaccine passport will significantly enhance their chances of getting there.
See how opinions on vaccine passports have changed among Americans and Britons since March
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Methodology: The data is based on the interviews of adults aged 18 and over in 17 markets with sample sizes varying between 508 and 2,019 for each market. All interviews were conducted online in April 2021. Data from each market uses a nationally representative sample apart from Mexico and India, which use urban representative samples, and Indonesia and Hong Kong, which use online representative samples.
