Vanuatu reopening to tourists from july 1st

Vanuatu’s tourism office has given a clear signal that the country’s borders could soon reopen. Following months of closure caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, local authorities are now rolling out measures designed to welcome tourists back to Vanuatu’s many isles. Here’s everything you need to know about the phased border reopening, scheduled to begin from 1 July.

Resuming travel to and from Vanuatu

Travel to and from Vanuatu will soon return to normal. Adela Issachar Aru, head of Vanuatu’s tourism office, confirmed the news to the media, expressing satisfaction that the country is set to receive visitors from 1 July. She also underscored preparations aimed at giving the reopening a distinctive welcome for holidaymakers.

In the build-up to the reopening date, the next several weeks will focus on readiness efforts to ensure tourist safety. These efforts will centre on promoting sustainable tourism. In partnership with investors and health authorities, strict controls will be introduced to ensure the quality of imported products. Local hoteliers and restaurant operators are part of this drive, working to meet the requirements set out under the Safe Business Operations (SBO) framework.

Australian visitors, well known for regularly visiting Vanuatu, are eagerly anticipated by on-island operators. The government has also stated that fully vaccinated visitors will not be subject to quarantine. Additional preventative measures are being readied to reduce the risk of coronavirus related issues upon arrival.

The phased reopening of Vanuatu’s borders

The reopening of Vanuatu’s borders will proceed in three stages:

• first, allowing sons and daughters of Vanuatu to return home from abroad;

• second, the rollout of comprehensive preventative measures for tourists;

• third, the formal reopening of international arrivals.

This plan is a proposal from Prime Minister Bob Loughman, but remains at project stage—detail is still to be disclosed.

Vanuatu citizens set to return

Vanuatu citizens have been offered the chance to come home from May until 30 June 2022. Arrangements have been made using Air Vanuatu flights from departure hubs including Sydney, Brisbane, New Zealand and Fiji.

Health requirements in June

Health-wise, priority COVID-19 vaccination will be required for travellers seeking entry, while all arrivals will undergo quarantine at Port Vila. Those coming from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand or New Caledonia will face a three-day quarantine window, while visitors from all other countries will stay in quarantine for seven days.

The final step: full border reopening

From July, the archipelago’s borders will fully reopen. Holidaymakers from around the world will be able to visit and move freely across any one of Vanuatu’s eighty islands.

Why tourism matters for Vanuatu’s economy

While all three stages are critical, the third is the most anticipated: over the pandemic, the local economy, heavily reliant on tourism, has taken a considerable hit. To revive the sector for July, the government is rolling out support to help local businesses, boost domestic consumption and raise living standards for citizens. It’s also worth noting that tourism contributes two-fifths of national income across this Pacific nation.