Borders to Reopen: Welcoming News for Tourism Operators
BY BARNABAS MANEBONA
THE official announcement of Solomon Islands borders to fully reopen on July 1, 2022, is welcoming news for Tourism Operators in the country.
Having the international borders reopening after a closure of more than two years will allow the flow of visitors into the country again, as tourism operators express it will be good for business.
Chair of Tulaghi Tourism Operators and owner of ‘Tulagi Tour’ Mr. Richard Sapia sharing to Sunday Isles said since the closure of international borders due to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic, the tourism industry has been hit hard with its significant impacts on business operations.
“With news of borders reopening soon means visitors will be traveling back into our beautiful country purposely for visitation on islands and sites, which is great. Having our borders closed for the past two and a half years has had a great impact on our tourism operations,” said Sapia.
Mr. Sapia makes a reminder as well for tourism operators to be prepared for the borders reopening.
“As part of our preparation, the ministry of culture and tourism and partners have already conducted extra safe training for tourism operators. Not only that, but tourism operators too must ensure safety and get double vaccination,” said Sapia.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT) also supports Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare’s official statement on border reopening explaining the same sentiments that the country’s tourism sector has been hard hit by the pandemic since the closure of the border to international visitors.
“A survey carried out by the Tourism Division of MCT with a published report in March 2022, shows significant impacts on the business operation and tourism jobs lost in Solomon Islands tourism sector,” said MCT.
“From the Covid-19 impact on the tourism sector survey report summary, 24 percent with the normal operation but reduced business, 16 percent not operational, and 60 percent sporadic operating only when there are guests.
“And a significant percentage of the tourism sector staffs were made redundant. And a large number of tourism Staff and owners that are still employed are on heavily reduced hours or salaries.
“Proactively, MCT, Ministry of Health and Medical Services[MHMS], and Tourism Solomons have carried out a series of the ‘Tourism Minimum Standards’ Covid-19 extra care training for the tourism operators and employees this year to prepare them for the border reopening.”
MCT encourages all trained operators who have trained under the Tourism Minimum Standards Covid-19 extra care program to activate their COVID safe protocols in preparation to receive their guests, and to provide the best service possible under the new procedures.
“MCT is continuing Minimum Standards Extra care training for the provinces and Honiara tourism operators and employees.
“Thank you to the tourism business owners and Staff to have 87 percent COVID fully vaccinated, as reported in the survey conducted by the Tourism Division and MCT in early 2022,” said MCT.
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare in announcing the full reopening of international borders early this week said Cabinet has approved the reopening of borders, following recommendations from the Border Opening Committee of the Covid-19 Oversight Committee.
The move comes after the eventual easing of Covid-19 restrictions from last month, which means domestic restrictions will be lifted by the end of May 2022.
“This will see the lifting of restrictions on domestic shipping and travel through domestic ships and aircraft, lifting restrictions on mass gatherings such as churches, weddings, sporting activities, nightclubs, and lifting restrictions on international cargo vessels,” said Sogavare.
“Concerning incoming international travelers, the post-arrival quarantine period for all international travelers will drop to 6 days from June 1, 2022, at the latest.
“This easing of restrictions simply means that from 1 July 2022, foreign nationals wishing to enter the country no longer have to apply for exemption through the oversight committee starting from this date.
“However, all pre-arrival health requirements will be strictly applied to ensure we can still protect the country as much as possible from possible new variants of Covid-19 that may inadvertently enter the country.
“This means all incoming travelers must have a negative PCR test within 72 hours before arrival, in addition to a negative RAT test within 12 hours of arrival. Only people that have completed their vaccinations will be allowed to enter the country from overseas, except for children that cannot be vaccinated.”
The Prime Minister added that it is likely the Solomon Islands might still retain a shorter quarantine period of 3-days after the full opening of borders on July 1.
“The Government will be stepping up home quarantine as we progress toward the July 1 date, and will be reducing government-run institutional quarantine centers to cater only for returning nationals that cannot home quarantine for the three days after arrival,” said Sogavare.
“All post-arrival ‘3-day institutional quarantine’ for foreign nationals that do not have home quarantine facilities from 1 July 2022, will be ‘hotel-based quarantine’ at the cost of individual travelers.
“All international travelers will be required to have one PCR negative test on day 3 post-arrival before they are released.
“The 3-day quarantine will be reviewed by the end of July, in the same manner as other countries have done when they re-opened their borders.”
