Travellers to Tahiti will now be tested for COVID-19 before and after their arrival

The Islands of Tahiti will reopen its borders this week with strict health protocol for those who wish to visit.

The Islands of Tahiti will be one of the first destinations to reopen its borders to international tourists since the COVID-19 pandemic began, with visitors allowed from 15 July 2020.

The destination has recorded just 60 cases of the virus and no fatalities.

From mid-July incoming travellers will no longer be required to quarantine, and instead they will be required to take a COVID-19 test within three days before the flight to Tahiti and present the negative result to the airline attendant upon check-in.

They will then need to complete a health commitment form online, that monitors the traveller’s health status and allows them to be contacted if necessary.

Four days after their arrival into French Polynesia, travellers will carry out a self-administered COVID-19 test using a kit provided at Tahiti Faa’a international airport.

CEO of Tahiti Tourisme CEO Jean-Marc Mocellin said the country is prepared and ready to welcome visitors again.

“This health protocol with the ETIS platform and the traveller’s self-test implies a huge work and an impressive logistics for a territory as big as Europe,” he said.

While international travel is still a while off for Australians, this new protocol could be a step forward to opening up a travel bubble between Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific nations.

If a traveller is tested positive during their stay in Tahiti, they will be transported to the main island of Tahiti to avoid any spread and for medical care if necessary.

Tourism professionals have also been trained in COVID-safe procedures, while awareness campaigns are being broadcasted on local television channels to the population.