NAMIBIA has further eased restrictions for international tourists to try to prevent the collapse of a sector hit by the coronavirus pandemic after the country closed its borders in March.
The Tourism Ministry has announced that tourists could go to their pre-booked destinations and take part in activities for up to five days, after which they will be tested for the virus.
If they stay at their pre-booked destination for less than five days they can proceed to another destination without a test.
In rules introduced in July, tourists had to quarantine at their first destination for seven days, which resulted in a large number of cancellations.
The tourism sector in the southwest African country has not seen any new bookings since the beginning of the month, leading to 115.7 million Namibian dollars ($6.85 million) in cancellations, the ministry estimates.
“This has necessitated a rethink in our approach. The tourism sector is highly competitive and Namibia is competing to attract tourists with countries from all over the world,” Tourism Minister Pohamba Shifeta said. – Thomson Reuters Foundation.
