Seychelles, a group of islands in the western Indian Ocean, will reopen its borders to foreign tourists, regardless of their vaccination status from March 25th.
Mr. Sylvestre Radegonde, the country’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, revealed that there will be no quarantine conditions or movement restrictions for travelers to the Indian Ocean archipelago.
All visitors must present a negative PCR test taken 72 hours before arrival as the only condition. They will then need to adhere to public health policies currently in place in the country, which includes wearing face masks and social distancing in public spots.
Only tourists from South Africa are excluded from the new regulations and will not be allowed to reach Seychelles until further notice.
Mr. Radegonde explained that the decision to review and relax entry procedures was a reaction to the country’s aggressive vaccination program. Seychelles is speeding up vaccination campaigns to ensure that 70,000 residents will have received their doses by March 25. At present, 56,000 people have received at least one dose of either the China’s Sinopharm or Oxford University’s Covishield vaccine.
Sylvestre Radegonde Minister for Foreign Affairs & Tourism Seychelles
“The vaccination campaign has been quite successful. The government has done everything in its power to make sure that the population is protected. We have now arrived at the point where opening our borders further is the next step to allow for our economic recovery.”
Seychelles has recorded 2,890 cases of COVID-19 outbreaks, 343 of which are still active, and 13 people have died of the illness.
Seychelles
Seychelles is the cluster of charming Islands found in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. The destination is home to countless tropical islands and has spectacular beaches, exquisite natural beauty, clear turquoise water, thriving coral reefs and much more.
