Saturday, January 23, 2021
Ultimately, Seychelles has opened its doors for the visitors. The island nation is all prepared to welcome international visitors with open arms. However, this welcome is only those who are vaccinated.
Visitors must produce themselves as ‘vaccinated’. This means that those who have taken both the doses of COVD-19 vaccine, and also can produce a negative report from a RT-PCR test done not more than 72 hours prior to the journey can enter the island.
Seychelles will be reopening for tourism in a two-step approach, as per government orders. The island will allow those who have taken both the doses of vaccine and also carrying a COVID negative from a test done 72 hours prior to the journey, in the first phase of this move.
In the second phase of this move which will start from mid-March, it is hoped that the government of Seychelles would have vaccinated a major section of its population by that time. It is anticipated that during this phase, unvaccinated visitors would probably be permitted to enter the island country with just a COVID-negative report from a test done 72 hours prior to the visit.
According to Tourism Promotion Board statement, if they go by the current numbers, it is probably that by mid-March, 25 per cent of its population would be vaccinated when the second phase will be rolled out.
Also, the statement has emphasized that Seychelles at present is opened to Indian visitors, who have not been vaccinated, but via private jet transfers only.
Nonetheless, those arriving in Seychelles will have to adhere to the existing protocols related to health, such as maintaining adequate social distance, wearing face masks, which will remain unchanged all the time as per the travel advisory issued by the government. All tourism operators will have to follow the existing COVID-19 standard operating procedures and protocol as well.
Tags: international visitors, Seychelles
