Mauritius reopens its borders to vaccinated in lack of sun
Mauritius, a confetti state in the Indian Ocean, is reopening its borders on July 15, almost completely closed since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, to international travelers. But sunbathing on heavenly beaches comes at a price.
To discover
Not only do holidaymakers have to be vaccinated and carry a negative PCR test, but they will also have to undergo a 14-day quarantine, in a “hotel bubble”.
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George Lepoigner, a taxi driver in the Mauritian capital Port-Louis, can't wait to see tourists returning to his island's heavenly beaches and turquoise waters.
“Without tourists in the country, we have no foreign currency coming in. We don't have the funds to continue living,” says this 55-year-old man and father of two children.
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No spas
The pandemic has hit Mauritius hard, a significant part of the economy of which relies on revenue generated by the tourism sector.
Before the outbreak of the epidemic on the island in March 2020, tourism and hospitality accounted for around 24% of GDP and almost a quarter of jobs. But in the last fiscal year, the entire economy has shrunk by 15%. And the country is impatient to see its precious tourists return.
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In June, Finance Minister Renganaden Padayachy announced the objective "to reach 650,000 tourists in the next 12 months", specifying that the recovery would be "progressive and continuous". He added that the authority in charge of tourism would be provided with some 420 million Mauritian rupees (8.3 million euros) to promote the country in its key markets, such as China, Europe and South Africa. South.
However, tourism professionals will have to wait before feeling a rebound: the full reopening of the borders, without the restrictions, is indeed only scheduled for October 1.
In the meantime, tourists will be able to enjoy their “resort” and the beach, but will not be able to enjoy the rest of the island during their quarantine, nor certain services, such as spas.
According to Le Mauricien, one of the main local newspapers, 600 tourists were expected Thursday, from Europe and Dubai.
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"I choose the Covid"
Gilbert EspItalier-Noel, Managing Director of New Mauritius Hotels, a major player in the sector, notes with gloom that he does not expect a recovery before the last quarter of 2021 .
Revenue from its hotels plunged to 940 million rupees (18.6 million euros) in the period from June 2020 to March 2021, compared to 7.6 billion rupees (150 million euros) for June 2019-March 2020.
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“While we have taken steps to reduce expenses, through salary reductions, voluntary retirements, and keeping operational expenses to a minimum, hotel maintenance remains significant,” adds- he.
The effects of the crisis were not limited to tourism, but were felt in transport, agriculture and even sales. Referring to the ripple effects beyond the tourism sector, economist Rama Sithanen points out that “Mauritius has not emerged from this brutal and immense shock”.
Like other countries around the world, the island, which has recorded some 2,190 cases of infections and 20 deaths for a total population of 1.2 million, is now fighting against more virulent variants of the virus. viruses, including Delta.
But for Mr. Lepoigner, the return of tourists can no longer wait. “Even if there is a risk of contamination with the new variant, we either starve or we die of Covid. I will choose the Covid since 99.9% of Mauritians have survived the virus since last year”, he says.
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