Seychelles to open up to unvaccinated travellers from 25 March

Vaccinated and unvaccinated holidaymakers welcome

Dream trip? Seychelles has lost its quarantine exemption (Charlotte Hindle)

Summer holidays abroad might be back on the table after the Seychelles announced that unvaccinated travellers can enter the country without needing to self-isolate from 25 March.

The archipelago in the Indian Ocean is already letting visitors who can prove they’ve had both doses of an approved Covid-19 vaccine forgo quarantine, a measure it introduced in January.

Travellers must have had both jabs of the Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna or Janssen vaccine and wait two weeks after the second dose in order to enjoy a quarantine-free visit.

As proof of inoculation, visitors need to submit an “authentic certificate from their national health authority”, plus must present a negative Covid test taken within 72 hours of travel upon arrival.

The island nation has now announced the next step in its ambitious plan to reopen for tourism: from 25 March there will be no quarantine requirement nor restriction on movement for unvaccinated travellers.

Minister for foreign affairs and tourism, Sylvestre Radegonde, announced the easing of restrictions at a press conference on 4 March.

He said that the decision to relax the entry protocols was made based on the country’s successful vaccine rollout.

“The vaccination campaign has been quite successful,” said Mr Radegonde. “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.

“The measures being announced reflect broadly the recommendation of our tourism partners and have been done in full consultation with and the endorsement of our health authorities.”

Visitors will still have to present a negative coronavirus test upon arrival, plus adhere to other public health measures, including wearing masks, social distancing and regular hand washing or sanitising.

Those travelling from anywhere in the world will be let in, barring visitors from South Africa, who are “still not be permitted to enter Seychelles for the time being until further review”.

Although the Seychelles is throwing open its doors from 25 March, international leisure travel will still be illegal in the UK at that point.

According to the government’s roadmap out of lockdown, the earliest date from which holidays abroad might be permitted is 17 May, subject to recommendations made by the Global Travel Taskforce.