No tests for vaxxed tourists, industry urges
There is no logical reason to continue requiring foreign visitors to present negative PCR tests before being allowed to enter the country, the tourism industry says.
ELLANIE SMIT
WINDHOEK
The Namibian tourism industry has approached the government to request that fully vaccinated tourists be allowed to enter Namibia without a negative PCR test.
A letter signed by several tourism associations and companies was sent to the ministries of tourism, health, finance, home affairs and the Tourism Revival Initiative Task Team yesterday.
This after it was recently announced that fully vaccinated Namibians and permanent residents will no longer be required to present a negative PCR test result upon entry into Namibia. They can now enter the country at any time with a valid and authentic vaccination card.
“In light of this extremely welcome decision, on behalf of the tourism industry, we implore government to now allow fully vaccinated travellers to enter Namibia without the need for a negative PCR test result,” the letter read.
It said there is no logical reason to continue with this requirement as fully vaccinated tourists have exactly the same low risk of carrying Covd-19 into the country as fully vaccinated Namibians.
“We call on government to urgently add functionality to the trusted travel system to enable overseas travellers to upload and verify their vaccination records. There is widespread recognition that Covid-19 is now everywhere, and that vaccination is a powerful barrier to its spread and severity.”
72-hour rule a struggle
Following the lifting of southern Africa’s red-list status, the industry had hoped for a rapid bounceback for tourism, but this is being hampered by the 72-hour testing requirement, they said.
“This is especially true for tourists arriving from the USA who struggle to comply with the 72-hour rule due to the time zone differences, flight times and lengthy layovers.”
The group said this regulation also means that Namibia is losing substantial business form cross-border holidays in the Kavango–Zambezi Trans-Frontier Conservation Area, where the necessity of testing to enter Namibia from Botswana, Zambia or Zimbabwe is a massive financial deterrent to travellers.
“Now that the UK has scrapped the entry test requirements for fully vaccinated travellers, and many other countries are moving in the same direction, we feel there is an opportunity for Namibia to lead the way and cement our reputation as Africa’s premier holiday destination.”
[email protected]
WINDHOEK
The Namibian tourism industry has approached the government to request that fully vaccinated tourists be allowed to enter Namibia without a negative PCR test.
A letter signed by several tourism associations and companies was sent to the ministries of tourism, health, finance, home affairs and the Tourism Revival Initiative Task Team yesterday.
This after it was recently announced that fully vaccinated Namibians and permanent residents will no longer be required to present a negative PCR test result upon entry into Namibia. They can now enter the country at any time with a valid and authentic vaccination card.
“In light of this extremely welcome decision, on behalf of the tourism industry, we implore government to now allow fully vaccinated travellers to enter Namibia without the need for a negative PCR test result,” the letter read.
It said there is no logical reason to continue with this requirement as fully vaccinated tourists have exactly the same low risk of carrying Covd-19 into the country as fully vaccinated Namibians.
“We call on government to urgently add functionality to the trusted travel system to enable overseas travellers to upload and verify their vaccination records. There is widespread recognition that Covid-19 is now everywhere, and that vaccination is a powerful barrier to its spread and severity.”
72-hour rule a struggle
Following the lifting of southern Africa’s red-list status, the industry had hoped for a rapid bounceback for tourism, but this is being hampered by the 72-hour testing requirement, they said.
“This is especially true for tourists arriving from the USA who struggle to comply with the 72-hour rule due to the time zone differences, flight times and lengthy layovers.”
The group said this regulation also means that Namibia is losing substantial business form cross-border holidays in the Kavango–Zambezi Trans-Frontier Conservation Area, where the necessity of testing to enter Namibia from Botswana, Zambia or Zimbabwe is a massive financial deterrent to travellers.
“Now that the UK has scrapped the entry test requirements for fully vaccinated travellers, and many other countries are moving in the same direction, we feel there is an opportunity for Namibia to lead the way and cement our reputation as Africa’s premier holiday destination.”
[email protected]
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