More people are getting vaccinated against the coronavirus across the state and around the country. But that’s not true in many other countries which is leading to a new trend: people planning trips to get vaccines.
In South Asia, the island archipelago of the Maldives sees coronavirus vaccinations as a way of attracting visitors.
The Tourism Minister of the country even has a marketing campaign in the works—under the slogan “3V”—for “Visit, Vaccinate, Vacation.”
It’s a trend that’s also reached the Pacific shores of the United States.
Next month, Alaska will be offering free coronavirus vaccines to visitors. The governor said they’ll be available at four of the state’s biggest airports.
The Anchorage Daily News reports he said the message to tourists is: “If you come to Alaska, you get a free vaccination.”
USA Today reports that wealthy Latin American residents are traveling to parts of the United States that don’t require local IDs to get a vaccine.
The Bangkok Post reports tour companies in Thailand have been running tour packages to states where visitors can get free shots with nothing more than a temporary travel visa.
This is happening so frequently that earlier this week Thailand’s Foreign Ministry warned that Thais considering such a package should contact the ministry for more information because not all states offer that service.
