COUSINE ISLAND RECEIVES FIRST CERTIFICATION FROM SEYCHELLES GOVERNMENT TO RECEIVE GUESTS
(Posted 05th June 2020)
As the certification process, assessing if resorts are ready to receive guests under new post lockdown health and safety regulation guidelines is now unfolding across the Seychelles islands, has Cousine Island been the first to receive the highly valued approval while other resorts are thought to follow soon.
The private island, with just four private villas and a Presidential Villa, is under private ownership and the island is also a conservation area since the early 1990’s.
Principal Secretary Anne Lafortune has been quoted to ATCNews commenting on the process: ‘The guidelines may not be equally applicable to all of them. If we are to look at accommodations, there are five-star accommodations with 300 rooms and small self-caterings with just one room. The guide has been written in a general manner and each establishment will need to choose from the guideline what is relevant to them so that they can develop their own procedures‘ before adding: ‘This will mean that the business can start taking bookings and liaising with their agents, and whenever the borders of the different countries are open and there are scheduled and commercial flights, then they can also start taking in tourists, in accordance with the regulation of both the tourism and health departments‘.
Since the 01st of June is the international airport once again open for private jets and chartered flights – besides cargo services – but a number of requirements must be met including prior landing permission for the flight providing relevant details of passengers and crew.
Upon arrival are all on board then screened by Seychelles health authorities which attracts a fee of US Dollars 50 per person to cover the cost related to #COVID19 testing.
In addition can guests only stay at their booked resort and are not allowed to go sightseeing on the island where the resort is located or visit other islands during the duration of their stay.
