British tourists who have been vaccinated will be able to visit Cyprus from May 1
Cyprus will allow British tourists who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 into the country without restrictions from May 1, its government has announced.
The country’s tourism minister Savvas Perdios confirmed that vaccinated UK nationals could from that time begin visiting without a negative test, or needing to quarantine.
He said that visitors would need to be inoculated with vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency.
The second dose of a vaccine should be administered at the latest seven days before travel, he added, with authorities reserving the right to carry out random tests on arrivals.
British visitors are the largest market for Cyprus’s tourism industry, which has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
Income from the sector, which represents about 13 per cent of the Cypriot economy, plunged on average 85 per cent in 2020.
Cyprus has been in and out of lockdown for about a year but its coronavirus outbreak has been mild compared to other countries.
By Thursday, it had recorded a total of 36,004 infections and 232 deaths. Authorities have also introduced widespread testing, with almost everyone obliged to take a test once a week.
Spain has indicated that it could create a so-called “green corridor” to allow vaccinated British tourists into the country in the summer.
The country’s tourism minister Fernando Valdes has said the the plan could kick in if there is no EU-wide agreement on vaccine passports.
Those would allow holidaymakers with proof of having been vaccinated to travel.
Spain has confirmed it is in talks with the British government. Like Cyprus its vital tourism industry has been severely hit in the pandemic.
The Greek government is also considering allowing British tourists in if they have proof of receiving a vaccine.
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