Trqavel Considerations - Pandemic
Traveling to an African Country? Here’s What you Need to Know By Tim McDonnell
T
he coronavirus pandemic has been harsh for Africa’s $50 billion tourism industry, with the fall-off in foreign visitors likely to knock out more than 6% of countries’ GDP on average in 2021, according to the UN. Last month, tourism officials and industry groups in South Africa launched a marketing campaign aimed at countering the blow to the country’s reputation from its association with a namesake Covid-19 variant. And on June 24, officials in Egypt—the continent’s number-two tourist destination, with more than 11 million annual visitors pre-pandemic—dropped the requirement of a negative Covid-19 test to enter the country for anyone who can show proof of vaccination. For travelers from the US and Europe, most of Africa‘s top tourist countries are largely open for business, albeit with quarantines and other measures in some cases. In all of these countries except Egypt, South Africa, Tunisia, and Mozambique, overland borders, as opposed to international airports, remain fully closed. Some, including Egypt and South Africa, remain on the UK‘s red list of countries that require a quarantine upon return. Here’s a breakdown of entry requirements for the top 10 tourist destinations in Africa (ranked by number of pre-pandemic annual visitors). In all of these countries except Egypt, South Africa, Tunisia, and Mozambique, land borders remain closed. This information was compiled from government sources by Shoreland Travax, a Wisconsin-based travel health consultancy, and is current as of July 7.
Morocco Morocco’s ports remain closed to cruise ships, except ferries from Sète, France and Genoa, Italy. With some case-by-case exemptions, noncitizens arriving from some countries are not
permitted to enter; those arriving from those countries with an exemption must quarantine at a governmentdesignated hotel for 10 days. Noncitizens arriving from any other country do not need to quarantine, but must present negative results from a PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to arrival, unless they can show proof of vaccination with the AstraZeneca, Covishield, Gamaleya, Janssen/J&J, Moderna, Pfizer, Sinopharm, or Sinovac vaccine.
Egypt Non-citizens over the age of six arriving from some countries must present negative results from a PCR test taken within 96 hours prior to departure; for all other countries, the test must be taken within 72 hours of departure. Travelers with a QR code-based proof of receiving the AstraZeneca, Gamaleya, Janssen/J&J, Moderna, Pfizer, Sinopharm, or Sinovac vaccine, with the final dose received at least 15 days prior to arrival, are exempt from testing requirements. No quarantine is required.
South Africa Non-citizens arriving from any country must present negative results from a PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to departure. Travelers are required to download the country’s virus tracking app. No quarantine is required.
Tunisia Non-citizens arriving from any country must present negative results, with a QR code, from a PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to departure. All travelers except those arriving from Libya must quarantine at home or other accommodation for 7 days and undergo antigen testing 5 days after arrival. Travelers with proof of having recovered from Covid-19 within six weeks of arrival are
60 | ABA Publications | Africa TRAVEL | July 2021
