Fiji intends to open international borders in November, welcoming first fully vaccinated travellers from “green list” countries that share similar vaccination rates and uses the same kind of coronavirus vaccine.
It will also depend on vaccination coverage rate, with Fiji looking at achieving 80% fully dose reach to open up quarantine-free travel with other countries that deploy the same Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca vaccine that is used in Fiji.
“At this point, that includes Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada, Korea, Singapore, and parts of the USA. We will be establishing mutually recognised vaccine protocol agreements with these governments, which essentially shows that we are comfortable with their levels of vaccine coverage and that we can rely on the vaccine status of their travellers and, vice versa, that Fijians can prove their vaccine status when travelling abroad,” Bainimarama said.
Travellers from these potential green list areas must be fully vaccinated and receive pre-departure approval, which can be obtained online. These fully vaccinated travellers must also register a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours of boarding their flight to Fiji.
“Once they arrive, these travellers can vacation in designated travel safe areas where they can enjoy the best of Fiji knowing that everyone they interact with will be fully vaccinated, from their fellow guests to the hotel staff, to the tour operators. We’re drawing up the boundaries of these travel safe areas in close cooperation with the tourism industry.
“Fully vaccinated travellers from green list countries can travel throughout Fiji after spending five days within a travel safe area and clearing another negative COVID-19 test result.
“We will have regular in-country testing and clear protocols in the event of breakthrough infections. At the rate we are going, we expect to be ready to accept travellers well before our goal of celebrating Christmas in Fiji with our friends from around the world. In fact, we are looking at re-opening as soon as this November. While much of that depends on the next several weeks and what the science informs us is safest, I want the Fijians who depend on tourism to know –– we are everything possible to get you back to work and bring this industry back from the brink.”
Fiji’s opening up aspirations are buoyed by Fiji Airways’ achieving the highest possible SKYTRAX 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating and the Diamond certification by the Airline Passenger Experience Association and SimpliFlying, and almost all hotels and tour operators in Fiji is Care Fiji Commitment certified.
Fiji’s quarantine centres will also remain in effect for people who are not vaccinated or who are not travelling to Fiji from a green list country.
