Iceland is gearing up to welcome tourists by June 15

The Iceland government has announced that it is planning to welcome tourists by June 15 by reopening its borders once again. The country is gearing up to welcome travellers from across the globe, including the USA (depends on the COVID-19 test results). Not only this, Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir has also said that they are planning to give travellers Coronavirus tests upon arrival at the airport.

After the test, tourists with negative test results would be allowed to enter the country to enjoy Iceland’s beauty, but those with positive results would have to go in self-isolation for 14 days.

However, every tourist will have to download a tracing app called Rakning C-19 in their smartphones to prevent a further rise in cases. This app would enable the officials to contact visitors about their results. Also the app would help investigators pinpoint the source of infection along with the individual’s identity (exposed to the virus).

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The announcement for reopening comes after less than two months of limiting international tourist arrivals in the country. The country took the decision of reopening as the number of positive cases are quite low. As per Iceland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the timing “depends on when all the practicalities will be in place.”

The PM in her announcement said that travel restrictions will ease “no later than June 15, while from May 15 some professionals arriving in Iceland including scientists, filmmakers, and athletes will be eligible for a modified quarantine”.

People who can prove that they are healthy with official medical documents, won’t have to undergo another COVID-19 test, said the government.

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Bjarnheiour Hallsdottir, the chair of the Icelandic Travel Industry Association believes that if everything goes well, the country should see some tourists this summer and for those who really want to come, this would be a “very real possibility”.

As of now, Iceland (with a population of 364000) has just recorded 1803 confirmed Coronavirus cases among which 1786 have recovered, while the virus has claimed 10 lives in the country.

Source : Times Travels