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Introducing The Tamtam Travel Bubble: Vanuatu Opens To South Pacific Neighbours

The Vanuatu Government has announced that it has begun implementing the Tamtam Travel Bubble; travel between South Pacific island nations.

The Vanuatu Government has announced that it has begun implementing the Tamtam Travel Bubble; travel between South Pacific island nations.

There’s another bubble in the air, and this one’s called the Tamtam bubble.

No, it’s not the Tim Tam bubble, named after the delicious choccy biscuit, but the Tamtam bubble, named after traditional wooden carvings.

The Tamtam Travel Bubble was officially announced on 16 July 2020 and provides a staged pathway for safely re-opening Vanuatu’s borders with COVID-free Melanesian neighbours.

Delays with establishing the required health and border control protocols have delayed implementation until now. 

Tell me more…

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Prime Minister of Vanuatu, Hon. Bob Weibur Loughman, in a speech on 19 February, specified that the next stage of the Tamtam Travel Bubble will be the opening of Vanuatu’s border with New Caledonia.

This is tentatively proposed for April, pending final agreement on arrangements with the government of New Caledonia. 

Vanuatu Prime Minister Loughman said that the Vanuatu Government has chosen New Caledonia as the first country to re-open its borders with “because it is a low-risk country that’s had no active community cases for more than 28 days, and their COVID-19 prevention protocols are in line with Vanuatu’s health and security measures”. 

Initially, it will be limited to people travelling for compassionate reasons, as well as people travelling for health care, education, employment, to provide technical assistance, or visit friends and family. 

This week, the National Tamtam Travel Bubble Task Force begins a national community-level communication about the Tamtam Travel Bubble, commencing in Port Vila, rural Efate and its offshore islands.

The Bubble

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If the New Caledonia Tamtam bubble is all good once it starts up in April, we could potentially see Vanuatu striking travel passages with more of its neighbours, including New Zealand and Australia.

How good would that be?

For that to happen, there will have to be very little to no risk of spreading the virus to the island nations.

Perhaps after Aussies has been vaccinated, a South Pacific bubble could be arranged.

The Vanuatu Government continues to emphasise the importance of practicing enhanced hygiene and social distancing measures to ensure that Vanuatu remains COVID-19-free.

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