Zanzibar is now welcoming international tourists
Grounded travellers dreaming of summer trips might be able to keep there travel dreams alive with the latest announcement from Zanzibar: the paradisical island archipelago has reopened for tourism activities.
On Saturday June 6, Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, Zanzibar’s Minister of Information, Tourism and Heritage was quoted as saying “Zanzibar today has opened its tourism activities to normal both for charter flights and scheduled flights.” A breathtaking spot of crystal clear waters, pure white sandy beaches and shores littered with uninhabited islands, Zanzibar is a popular holiday destination for beach lovers looking for a postcard-perfect escape.
As well as opening its airports for international travel, Zanzibar has confirmed that visitors will no longer have to enter a mandatory 14-day quarantine. However, arrivals will be required to have medical health insurance and adhere to the strict guidelines imposed on the prevention of COVID-19 outlined by the country’s health authorities. Passengers will be screened on arrival, and those found with symptoms will be sent to a designated isolation center for further tests, while those without symptoms will be able to continue to their booked hotel without any restrictions.
After closing on March 20 to curb the spread of COVID-19, hotels, restaurants and bars have also been permitted to reopen. Across Tanzania, only 509 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed, with no new cases reported since May 8.
Zanzibar is among the first countries to reopen to international tourists, although more are set to follow suit in the coming weeks. Georgia plans to welcome international travellers from all destinations from July, while a phased reopening will allow travellers to return to the Maldives from next month.
