Cyprus will be open to vaccinated travelers from 10 May 2021, according to an announcement made by the country’s Tourism Minister, Savvas Perdios.
According to Perdios, the country will open to nationals from 65 different countries worldwide. This is given that they hold one of the EU’s digital green certificates, have been vaccinated and can provide proof, or have tested negative for Covid-19 no more than 72 hours prior to arrival. The time at which someone got their second vaccination shot should not affect when a traveler can enter the country.
In addition, travelers who fit the above criteria will be exempt from quarantine. They will, however, be required to comply with health protocols such as wearing masks and social distancing.
“We will notify our partners in around 65 countries that from 10 May entry will be facilitated for travelers who have completed their vaccination with no need for negative Covid tests or quarantine,” Perdios said.
The top countries on the list of ones deemed acceptable for entry include the United States, Israel, Canada, Switzerland, Bahrain, Armenia, Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates.
The two largest contributors to Cyprus’s tourism industry are the United Kingdom and Russia. These two countries, however, have frozen flights leaving for abroad in what they call an effort to stop the spread of Covid-19.
The UK and Russia have specifically mentioned Cyprus and its possible worsening epidemiological situation as the reason for freezing flights to Cyprus.
Perdios has outlined a vaccination plan, however, that is expected to help ease this situation.
“We are confident that once our epidemiological picture improves, charter flights will be allowed, something we expect to happen in the coming weeks as the vaccination rollout progresses,” Perdios said.
Cyprus has been one of the economically hardest-hit countries by Covid-19 shutdowns essentially eliminating the travel and tourism industry temporarily.
The country’s economy and thousands of peoples’ wellbeing are heavily dependent on tourism, which makes up a massive 22.7% of their gross domestic product.
The pandemic caused an 84% decrease in travel to Cyprus, which has made the country suffer massive economic losses.
