Mauritius to fully reopen international borders

Country to remove ‘resort bubbles’ from 1 October and allow vaccinated travellers to move freely

Mauritius is set to reopen its borders to vaccinated travellers on 1 October 2021.

The Indian Ocean nation has implemented a two-phased reopening strategy. In the initial phase, in place until 30 September, it is welcoming vaccinated travellers to enjoy holidays in 14 dedicated ‘resort bubbles’.

Only those staying for more than two weeks are able to visit other parts of the island, after taking a PCR test on day 14 of their holiday.

As part of the second phase, starting in October, vaccinated travellers will be free to explore the island as long as they present a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of travel upon arrival.

The successful reopening is being attributed to the acceleration of the island’s vaccination programme. Almost 1.3 million vaccine doses have been administered to citizens and residents. In January, the Mauritian government decided to prioritise the vaccination of hotel staff and others working in the tourism industry.

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Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority director Arvind Bundhun said: “Mauritius is delighted to see the world opening up again for travel. We have been welcoming international visitors to our island since the middle of July and the ‘resort bubbles’ have proven a great success.

“We are looking forward to the next stage of our reopening on 1 October, when vaccinated visitors will be able to explore the island without restriction from the moment of their arrival. The safety and security of Mauritian residents, citizens and guests remains paramount.”