What are agile countries, which ones top the list (and why you should know)

An ongoing pandemic, global conflict, and general uncertainty have highlighted the need for all countries to be more agile and adaptive.

By being able to implement flexible policies and solutions based on new information, governments can more effectively serve citizens and travelers in a rapidly changing world.

To capture this ability to adapt and respond to obstacles, US News & World Report introduced the new Agility Index this year as part of its annual ranking of the Best Countries, creating a list of the top nations ranked by their ability to be adaptable. , dynamic, modern, progressive or responsive.

These factors are more important than ever for travelers, many of whom are starting to travel internationally again for the first time in two years.

As seen by the flow of new variants of Covid-19, conditions on the ground can change rapidly and travelers may find it safer to visit those countries with a strong track record of adapting their policies appropriately and quickly.

We spoke with residents and policy experts in some of the top-ranked countries to find out what makes a country agile and what travelers should expect when they land.

USA

The United States showed adaptability in many areas, including food delivery services. (Photo: Getty Images)

Although the US did not implement a federally mandated lockdown, as many other Western countries have, its market-driven economy allowed for an adaptability that spurred rapid innovation in the face of the Covid-19 crisis.

That took him to the top of the list.

“Look at how quickly delivery services and restaurants were able to change their businesses, to send food to people’s homes,” said John Rose, a California resident and director of risk and security for the Altour travel company.

“There weren’t a lot of unnecessary regulations that said restaurants couldn’t deliver food or couldn’t operate with just a handful of people.”

The food industry was just a microcosm of the country’s flexibility as a whole, Rose said, as other companies were able to quickly adapt to the pandemic landscape, whether it’s producing masks or hand sanitizer, or enabling technology like video conferencing to let people work from home. home more efficiently.

Furthermore, each state could enact different policies according to its specific needs, what created 50 ways to respond to the pandemic.

“California and Florida handled the pandemic in totally opposite ways, with California having extreme lockdowns and Florida refusing every restriction,” Rose said. “And yet both economies did very well. It all came down to strong leadership of a policy.”

Nationwide, masks on airplanes and in airports allowed travelers to continue traveling, keeping the industry and its economic benefits going during the pandemic.

The government still requires international travelers to be fully vaccinated.

Those who want to visit the US should know that vaccination rates among residents vary widely by state and even county, and they can safely welcome visitors.

Rose recommends checking the situation at the county you plan to visit rather than the state levels to get the most accurate information.

Australia

Melbourne endured six closures and more than 260 days under restrictions during the pandemic. (Photo: Getty Images)

Australia, which ranked second overall on the agility index, with its highest scores for responsiveness and adaptability, took a very different approach from the US, implementing strict lockdowns that kept the number of cases from island nation among the world’s low tiers.

However, in the face of the latest waves of covid, the country quickly moved to a full reopening, based on a vaccination rate of almost 95% among adults over 16 years of age.

“Australians now feel reconnected to the world after almost two years of isolationsaid Kate Slater, a Sydney-based travel writer and strategy consultant who writes at Kate Abroad.

It notes that the country implements a state/territorial response, providing multiple different approaches on how to handle current challenges.

As an example, New South Wales, the largest state with the largest airport, announced in December 2021 that it would remove isolation requirements for international visitors, prompting the federal government to speed up the reopening of international borders in February. from 2022 for vaccinated travellers.

Travelers should check state and territory arrival requirements as each may be different and can change at short notice.

The country has also just announced the lifting of its ban on cruise ship arrivals, effective April 17, 2022, though passengers will still need to get vaccinated.

The country’s strict lockdowns encouraged locals to travel domestically, leading to a boom in new openings in less touristy regional destinations.

“For example, in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, historic stately homes have been transformed into boutique hotels,” said Slater, who recommends the Osborn House, Berrima Vault House and Briars hotels, and the new art gallery Ngununggula region.

South Korea

Travel restrictions during the pandemic caused a boom in domestic tourism in South Korea. (Photo: Getty Images)

Ranked sixth overall on the Agility index, and scoring high on its ability to be dynamic (a place of constant change and energy) and progressive, South Korea received praise early in the pandemic for keeping the number low. of cases, with aggressive testing and isolation for those infected.

However, with cases now reaching record numbers, the country continues to move forward with its plan to roll back many restrictions, relying on the mass vaccination rate and its ability to handle the hospital load.

“South Korea was a ‘success story’ in fighting the covid-19 pandemicin part due to previous experiences with SARS in 2003 and MERS in 2015,” said Hyesong Ha, an assistant professor at Nazarbayev University’s Graduate School of Public Policy, who has conducted research on the most agile governments during the pandemic. .

“Due to the experience and knowledge gained from previous policy failures, the Korean government implemented rapid testing, tracing and treatment, and established KCDC (Korean Center for Disease Control and Prevention), a nimble headquarters with professionalism, independence and authority to coordinate the response to the crisis.

Travel restrictions were a challenging but necessary part of his policy, according to Jenny Ly, who writes about travel at Go Wanderly. But she took advantage of it by immersing herself in travel within the country itself.

“I took the opportunity to find hidden gems that most people might have missed,” he said.

One of his favorites was Ihwa Mural Village in Seoul, where bright and colorful paintings adorn almost every wall.

“The town is a paradise on Earth for any art admirer, as it is home to many captivating murals, small art museums and art centers,” he said.

Vaccinated international visitors will have an easier time visiting, as from April 1, 2022 they qualify for the mandatory seven-day quarantine exemption by registering their vaccination history online.

Belgium

Belgians are eagerly awaiting the return of Brussels’ biannual flower carpet. (Photo: Getty Images)

Ranked 16th in Overall Agility, Belgium’s high performers in the adaptability sub-ranking (ranking 4th) outperformed all of their European counterparts.

Residents pride themselves on their adaptability, a cultural necessity after their history of occupation by the Romans, French, Dutch and Germans, pointing to their multilingual society and their ability to host the European Union in their capital, Brussels. .

“Belgium is a country of dialogue and engagement, which is inevitable when you have different languages ​​and such a complex political structure,” said Jurga Rubinovaite, resident and founder of family travel blog Full Suitcase.

“Seeking compromise and adapting to constantly changing situations is in our DNA“.

For Rubinovaite, politicians were open to taking advice, admitting they didn’t know everything, and learning from mistakes to adapt.

It wasn’t just the government that adapted; Rubinovaite notes that businesses have also changed rapidly, with restaurants offering takeout and food trucks, clothing stores moving online and museums offering virtual tours.

“Even the monks at Sint-Sixtus Abbey started selling their world-famous (and very hard-to-find) Westvleteren beer online during the pandemic,” he said.

It also saw a breakthrough in terms of digitization, as card and mobile payments replaced cash, and students received new iPads and laptops for learning.

Almost all Covid restrictions have been lifted in Belgium now, paving the way for the return of music festivals and Brussels’ biannual flower carpet.

The Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp, home to works by Rubens and van Eyck, will finally reopen to the public in September 2022, after a 10-year renovation.

Brazil

São Paulo is one of the “vaccine capitals” of the world, with a 100% vaccination rate. (Photo: Getty Images)

Brazil was the highest South American country in the Agility index (in 23rd place) as well as in its ability to dynamism (in 5th place).

Although residents admit that the government failed in its response to the pandemic at first, the health system was able to move quickly and efficiently to vaccinate the large population, including a vaccination rate close to 100% in the largest city, Sao Pablo. , making it one of the “vaccine capitals of the world”.

With fewer resources than the largest economies, the country could not afford to endure a prolonged shutdown, so residents had to do their part to wear masks and maintain social distancing.

But many believe that not stopping the economy helped the country out of the pandemic.

“Brazilians see themselves as survivors and we always find a way to get through crises,” said resident Natalie Deduck, co-founder of travel planning firm Love and Road.

“Inside our hearts, we always hope for better days“.

Those days may finally be here as many restrictions such as mask mandates have been lifted.

Travelers are still required to provide a negative Covid test, a health declaration and proof of vaccination.

Deduck points out that Brazil is more than its big cities and the Amazon, and visitors should consider a trip to southern Brazil with its coastal cities like Florianopolis and the Aparados da Serra National Park, which has family hotels and farm stays.

Source: Elcomercio