Mauritius has announced a phased reopening of its borders beginning in July.
The Indian Ocean island, which is known for its beaches, reefs and rainforests, will reopen to fully vaccinated international travelers on July 15. However, visitors will need to quarantine for two weeks at an approved hotel before being granted free movement.
Mauritius officials hope to lift all travel restrictions by Sept. 30, when the island’s population should have herd immunity.
The island’s tourism industry is billing the first phase of the reopening as a “hotel holiday.” It’s aimed at wedding parties, honeymooners and other tourists who want to enjoy a resort-based vacation.
To enter Mauritius, all adult visitors must prove that they have been fully vaccinated with a vaccine approved by the World Health Organization, with the second shot received at least 21 days before arrival.
Vaccines currently approved by WHO include AstraZeneca, Janssen/Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Sinovac and Sinopharm.
Visitors will also be required to show proof of a negative PCR test result received between five and seven days of arrival. They must also undergo PCR testing on day one and again on either day five, six or seven.
Unvaccinated children ages 17 and under can visit the island, but they are required to undergo PCR testing.
During their “hotel holiday,” tourists will quarantine at an authorized resort. They will be confined to their rooms until the results of their first PCR test come back, which should take between six and 12 hours.
After receiving a negative test result, tourists are free to enjoy the hotel’s beaches, swimming pools, golf courses and other amenities for the entirety of their visit.
Visitors who wish to stay on Mauritius after quarantine must take one final PCR test on day 14 before receiving free access to the island.
Starting Oct. 1, fully vaccinated tourists will be allowed to enter the country with no restrictions.
Mauritius has been able to largely contain the spread of COVID-19 throughout the pandemic. As of June 15, there were only 1,701 cases and 18 deaths reported on the island.