26/04/2021 14:29
Cyprus will open for travellers who completed their COVID-19 vaccination programme with no other requirements from May 10 onwards, Deputy Minister for Tourism Savvas Perdios has told CNA, noting that Cypriot authorities will inform the markets over their decision, which is considered to further facilitate stability in tourism planning as the summer season is about to begin.
“We will notify our partners in approximately 65 countries that as of May 10 we will facilitate travellers who have completed their vaccination programme to arrive in Cyprus with no negative COVID test and no quarantine even if they are considered as a contact of a COVID confirmed case,” Perdios told the Cyprus News Agency.
The travel protocol concerns the EU member-states, the European Economic Area countries and non-EU countries such as, Britain, Canada, Belarus, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, and the USA.
“Apart from being allowed to travel to Cyprus with a negative test depending on the country colour scheme, travellers who have been fully vaccinated (either have completed a two-dose vaccination or received the single dose jab from Johnson and Johnson), can arrive to Cyprus with no negative test,” Perdios added, noting the decision applies for all EMA-licensed jabs as well as the Russian jab, Sputnik V.
He furthermore, said that Cyprus will allow the arrival of vaccinated travellers from the day they have completed their vaccination.
Perdios said travellers will have to upload a copy of their vaccination certificate onto the Cyprus Flight Pass and provide certain vaccination details such as the name of the vaccine and date of vaccination while the certificate will be verified in the country of departure, as well as upon arrival to Cyprus.
Furthermore, Perdios said the Deputy Ministry by end of May will have a clearer picture with regard to this year's tourist season.
Regarding Britain, Cyprus’ main tourist market, Cyprus awaits the decision of British authorities with regard to international travel, while only scheduled flights from Russia are taking place as chartered flights are not permitted.
“We believe that chartered flights from Russia will be allowed when Cyprus’ epidemiological image is improved and that will be achieved as vaccination in Cyprus progresses and the new lockdown measures will be helpful” in containing the spread of COVID in the population, he noted.
Perdios also said that no flight cancellations beyond June have been recorded, noting that flights from EU countries mainly concern individual tourists and no tourist packages which mainly concern the UK and Russia.
“I believe that following the new travel protocol will further boost flights and by the end of May we will have a clearer picture on the whole season,” he added.