Namibia remains on UK red list
ELLANIE SMIT
WINDHOEK
Despite the United Kingdom scrapping its traffic light system in an overhaul of its Covid-19 travel restrictions, Namibia remains on the ‘red list’ of countries from which arrivals must undergo a hotel quarantine.
It was announced last Friday that the three-tier travel system is being replaced by one category of low-risk travel destinations alongside a red list.
Only UK citizens and residents are allowed to enter the country after returning from a red list country, while anyone else will be refused entry.
Arrivals from red list countries must undertake a 10-day stay in a managed quarantine hotel at a cost of £2 285 (about N$46 187 at yesterday’s currency) for solo travellers.
This includes transport to the hotel, provision of welfare services and the two PCR tests which must be undertaken on day two and day eight of the stay.
Top market
Tourism stakeholders have raised concern with the fact that Namibia has not been removed from the list, as this severely impacts the industry.
The red list has existed since January 2021, and is a list of destinations the UK government has defined as particularly high-risk for new and emerging strains of Covid-19.
The UK is one of Namibia’s top tourist markets, with 5 156 visitors that came that country last year.
The arrival figures dropped significantly due to the Covid-19 pandemic, considering UK tourist arrivals stood at 27 351 in 2019.
From Namibia’s 126 811 cumulative Covid-19 cases, only 1 249 are active cases and the country has had a 96% recovery rate, the health ministry reported on Sunday.
WINDHOEK
Despite the United Kingdom scrapping its traffic light system in an overhaul of its Covid-19 travel restrictions, Namibia remains on the ‘red list’ of countries from which arrivals must undergo a hotel quarantine.
It was announced last Friday that the three-tier travel system is being replaced by one category of low-risk travel destinations alongside a red list.
Only UK citizens and residents are allowed to enter the country after returning from a red list country, while anyone else will be refused entry.
Arrivals from red list countries must undertake a 10-day stay in a managed quarantine hotel at a cost of £2 285 (about N$46 187 at yesterday’s currency) for solo travellers.
This includes transport to the hotel, provision of welfare services and the two PCR tests which must be undertaken on day two and day eight of the stay.
Top market
Tourism stakeholders have raised concern with the fact that Namibia has not been removed from the list, as this severely impacts the industry.
The red list has existed since January 2021, and is a list of destinations the UK government has defined as particularly high-risk for new and emerging strains of Covid-19.
The UK is one of Namibia’s top tourist markets, with 5 156 visitors that came that country last year.
The arrival figures dropped significantly due to the Covid-19 pandemic, considering UK tourist arrivals stood at 27 351 in 2019.
From Namibia’s 126 811 cumulative Covid-19 cases, only 1 249 are active cases and the country has had a 96% recovery rate, the health ministry reported on Sunday.
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