Seychelles say they are reopening their borders to tourists this month in hopes of revitalizing a sector that is a mainstay of the economy but has been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Authorities cordoned off the Indian Ocean archipelago early during the pandemic to contain the spread. The move starved resorts, cruise ports and nature reserves of customers.

“The Seychelles will reopen to tourists from all over the world on March 25,” said the state Seychelles news agency reported citing remarks by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism Sylvestre Radegonde. Tourists only south Africa would not be allowed.

Tourism income fell 61% last year as anti-coronavirus restrictions cut arrivals by 70%. New visitors are required to have a negative COVID-19 test performed within 72 hours of arrival. No quarantines are imposed, but tourists must stay in hotels that are certified to comply with coronavirus regulations.

Wearing masks, hand sanitizing, and social and physical distancing are mandatory. “We hope that this gives the economy the respite that the economy needs the country needs,” quoted the Radegonde agency as saying.

The Seychelles began vaccinating their 98,000+ residents with doses of China’s Sinopharm in January. The country has at least 2,618 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 11 deaths to date World health organization (WHO) data. (Writing by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)

(This story was not edited by Devdiscourse staff and is automatically generated from a syndicated feed.)

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