MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th March, 2021) Over 300 people arrived to the Seychelles on the first day the island state opened its borders to tourists, with another 100 expected to fly in later in the day, Sylvester Radegond, Seychelles Foreign and Tourism Minister, told CNN broadcaster on Thursday.
Starting Thursday, the Seychelles authorities have eased travel regulations for all foreign visitors, except those coming from South Africa. According to the new rules, tourists are now required to only show a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to the departure. A two-week quarantine and other movement restrictions on the islands have been canceled.
"Over 300 passengers flew in this morning, which is the biggest number we've seen in a day for a long, long time. Up to now, our weekly figures have been around 200, so getting a plane full of passengers is great," Radegonde was cited as saying by the CNN.
Since the start of the pandemic, the Seychelles Tourism board reported a 70-percent decrease in tourist arrivals, resulting in a $368 million loss in the country's budget.
In November, Russia announced the renewal of flights to the Seychelles. Russia's flagship carrier Aeroflot will resume regular flights to the islands from April 2.
