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Covid: No PCR test, quarantine for fully vaccinated UAE travellers to Switzerland

Dubai - Travellers can stay up to 12 months after full vaccination.

Published: Fri 25 Jun 2021, 2:07 PM

Updated: Fri 25 Jun 2021, 6:00 PM

  • By
  • Dhanusha Gokulan

Fully vaccinated travellers from the GCC, including UAE residents, can travel to Switzerland for tourism starting June 26, a top official from the country’s tourism board has said.

Matthias Albrecht, director GCC of Switzerland Tourism said, “The Swiss government has confirmed that as of June 26, fully vaccinated adult travellers from the GCC countries will be able to enter Switzerland without having to undergo quarantine, or pre-travel PCR testing.”

Unvaccinated kids up to 16 can travel with their vaccinated parents and children between 16 and 18 need to present a negative test.

Special Emirates fares for quarantine-free travel

All European Medical Agency (EMA) and World Health Organisation (WHO) emergency use approved vaccinations, including Sinopharm, will be accepted up to 12 months after full vaccination. Schengen visas can be requested again through the VFS outlets starting Thursday, June 24, he explained. Emiratis, however, do not need a visa to enter Switzerland.

See list of UAE approved Covid vaccines here

“The complete freedom to travel internationally and the full opening of tourist infrastructures (restaurants, events, leisure facilities) are of utmost importance for tourism,” said Albrecht.

“Comprehensive protection concepts are in place to ensure their safety. We believe with our beautiful nature and uncrowded boutique towns as well as wide-open landscapes, Switzerland is the natural choice for a post-Covid-19 holiday,” he added.

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Albrecht said, in the GCC, the desire to travel is very strong. “People are now planning their trips for the summer. The Swiss government stated that it is adhering to the opening strategy of the EU, or rather the Schengen area, and will therefore open the country’s borders to vaccinated people, from June 26, just in time for the summer holidays,” he stated.

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Maximum protection concepts

"Over the past 12 months, rigorous protection concepts, adopted by the government, have proven extremely efficient and ensured that there was no outbreak hotspot at any tourist destination in Switzerland, even though hotels, restaurants in hotels and ski resorts remained open," he said.

Over 4,000 tourism businesses use the Swiss 'Clean&Safe' label to document the application of comprehensive protection concepts.

dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com



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