Vanuatu will open its borders to all international travellers from 1 July 2022 with no quarantine or proof of vaccination required. Ready to go? Here’s what you need to know.
The local industry is now preparing for the arrival of international travellers by refreshing and finalising new products, liaising with Australian wholesalers to showcase their products, re-hiring staff and ensuring their hotels and restaurants comply with the Safe Business Operations (SBO) guidelines.
Here’s what you need to know.
Entry requirements
To enter Vanuatu from 1 July, tourists will only need to provide the following:
- A certified negative Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) result from within 24 hours of departure, or
- A certificate of infection and recovery within 28 days of departure, if they have recently had Covid-19.
It’s important to note that the Vanuatu Government advises, “While we encourage all people to follow the health advice and ensure they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19. This helps keep us all safe – No proof of vaccination will be required for any traveller and/or age.”
Once in Vanuatu, there is no arrival testing required. However, travellers will be asked to play their part in keeping both locals and visitors safe by practising good hygiene and physical distancing.
If a traveller tests positive for Covid-19 while in Vanuatu, they will need to isolate for seven days in a managed Government designated and approved facility – this may include hotels and resorts or other government health centres, subject to availability.
Regarding travel between Vanuatu’s provinces, both Shefa, the home of Vanuatu’s capital of Port Vila and Sanma, the country’s largest island, Espiritu Santo, have reached Health Recovery Level 1 status and will be ready to reopen to tourists from 1 July, in line with the Vanuatu Government’s Roadmap to Reopening.
For more, visit: www.vanuatu.travel/au
Getting there
Travel advisors can also now book their clients on flights to Port Vila with the country’s national carrier, Air Vanuatu thanks to the airline relaunching flights from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne on 1 July.
The Vanuatu Government had announced a Roadmap to the Safe Reopening of the Borders earlier this year, describing the protocols to mitigate the risk of importation and spread of COVID-19 and containment measures for any in-country transmission.
For more, visit: www.vanuatu.travel/au