Mauritius is lifting the COVID-19 travel ban imposed on the Republic of South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia effective this Friday 7 January 2022.
Mauritius had earlier extended its ban on travel from Southern African countries until January 31 2022 over fears of the high prevalence of the Omicron variant in these countries.
Commercial passenger flights from these countries to Mauritius can resume, the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) has announced.
“Travellers are requested to get in touch with airlines and tour operators to confirm availability of flights, as well as the necessary COVID-19 protocols to follow,” it said.
Full details of Covid-19 entry requirements and safety protocols are online: www.mauritiusnow.com
“We are very pleased that South Africans can once again travel to Mauritius. The COVID-19 has placed significant pressure on all nations to do the right thing and we thank South Africans and the South African travel industry for their patience in this regard,” said MTPA Director Arvind Bundhun.
The announcement comes three days after the Association of Southern African Travel Agents (ASATA) said it was “frustrated and disappointed” by the Mauritian government’s decision to further extend a travel ban until 31 January – “when it is evident there is no scientific basis to continue the ban,” Otto de Vries, ASATA CEO, was quoted as telling The Sowetan newspaper.
