THE ISLAND OF NOSY BE IS OPEN AGAIN

As the island of Nosy Be wil be open again to global travellers from 1 October preparations are in full swing to welcome tourists and keep them safe.

The travel conditions laid down by the Madagascar Civil Aviation authority (ACM) stipulate the following requirements:

• A return ticket on arriving at Fascène airport;
• The negative result of a PCR test carried out 72 hours before arriving in Madagascar;
• A signed letter of commitment, acknowledging the Covid-19-related health measures in Madagascar;
• A completed health form;
• Compliance with all airport procedures, in particular, taking temperatures and using a disinfectant corridor;
• A PCR test (carried out at the hotel at the traveller’s expense) 72 hours before departure – if the destination country so requires.

In addition, the authorities report that tourists must carry a local phone chip so they can be easily monitored if a case is suspected. If necessary, and at the request of their hotel, they may be required to report visits/excursions made during the day, so that contact cases can be traced. Initially their travel will also be limited to the island of Nosy Be and the surrounding archipelagos in order to maximize their safety and that of the local people. So no travel to the mainland of Madagascar will be authorized.

Finally, it should be recalled that the Madagascar National Tourism Board (ONTM) has developed health protocols specific to the tourist trade, on behalf of the Ministry of Transport, Tourism and Meteorology (MTTM ) and in partnership with the Madagascar Confederation of Tourism of (CTM). To optimize the learning of special protective measures by tourism sector managers and employees, a series of on-the-job training courses was organized from September 2 to 15, for supervisors and staff (hotels, restaurants, tourism service providers), as well as independent workers such as guides and taxi drivers. These training sessions were supported by screening educational videos for each profession, with content based on the basic principles of the health protocols.

The island of Nosy Be lies 31 km off the north-west coast of Madagascar. It is famous for its national parks both on land, where you can see the famous endemic lemurs, and at sea with outstanding diving spots ; and for the scent of ylang ylang, hence its nickname « the Perfume Island ».