Covid-19 tourists

From Sri Lanka to Seychelles: Destinations that have opened its doors for tourists amid Covid-19

Now that most countries are rolling out Covid-19 vaccines for their citizens, several destinations are removing border restrictions for travelers who have received their injections or significantly easing them.

Countries like Denmark are also considering coronavirus digital passports that will act as proof that the holder has been vaccinated against the new coronavirus. From Sri Lanka to Seychelles, these are the countries that plan or have opened their borders to receive tourists:

Sri Lanka

Since a large part of the population depends on tourism, the Sri Lankan government opened up to visitors, but with rules that “no other nation had implemented” when welcoming tourists. Calling it a “new concept,” Sri Lanka’s tourism president Kimarli Fernando said tourists can travel in “bio-bubbles” or in semi-isolated tour groups that allow visitors to go sightseeing without mixing with the local population.

However, the rules apply for the first two weeks of your stay. Thereafter, guests are free to “interact with the local community,” according to a safety brochure produced by the country’s Ministry of Tourism.

Cyprus

The government of Cyprus was one of the first in the world to announce plans to allow tourists to have been vaccinated against Covid-19. Travelers who prove they have received both doses of the vaccine do not even have to submit a negative RT-PCR report.

Although the new rules were set to take effect as of March 1, the government has yet to issue a statement on the matter and travelers currently have the option of providing a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to travel. or undergo a test upon arrival. . They must then go into quarantine for two weeks in government-assigned accommodation.

Iceland

Fully vaccinated European travelers can skip the quarantine when they arrive in Iceland from May 1. They will also not be asked to submit a negative RT-PCR report.

However, people who have not received their Covid-19 vaccinations and arriving from destinations where travel to Iceland is allowed must take a Covid test upon arrival, before going into quarantine for five to six days and performing a second one. proof.

Thailand

The Thai government has launched a campaign, #OpenThailandSafely, aimed at welcoming tourists from around the world before July 1.

Last week, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha ordered officials to study vaccine certificates for international travel after noting that the tourism-dependent nation is willing to lift the two-week quarantine for inoculated visitors. This came after the local tourism industry wanted the mandatory quarantine rule lifted so that vaccinated tourists can visit the country.

Thailand’s central bank says tourism, which accounted for about a fifth of the country’s gross domestic product before the pandemic, is key to getting Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy growing again.

Romania

Travelers visiting this European nation from permitted countries after being vaccinated do not have to self-quarantine. The rule went into effect on January 28.

The new rules were announced by Romania’s National Committee for Emergency Situations, which stipulated that returning visitors and residents must show evidence that they have received two doses of the vaccine to avoid mandatory isolation.

However, people arriving from countries on Romania’s “yellow list”, which is made up of destinations with high epidemiological risk, must remain in quarantine for 14 days.

Seychelles

Seychelles, in January, became part of the countries that are gradually opening up to tourists and removing quarantine rules for those who have been vaccinated against the virus.

Fully vaccinated visitors can now enter the country without having to self-quarantine for 10 days. However, they must still present a negative RT-PCR test result taken within 72 hours of travel, as well as a certificate from their national health authority verifying that they have been fully vaccinated.

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