Iceland to become first European country to welcome tourists again after COVID-19 lockdown

As Iceland is easing coronavirus lockdown measures, the country is also set to open up to visitors again ‘no later than June 15’. The Island nation becomes the first country in Europe to relaunch tourism amid the virus outbreak. According to John Hopkins University, Iceland has more than 1,800 coronavirus cases and the deadly virus claimed only 10 lives in the country. 

Iceland’s Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottirsaying in an official statement said that the travel restrictions would be loosened ‘no later than June 15 2020’. However, the authorities also said that the visitors will be allowed to enter the country as long as they test negative for the virus upon arrival. Meanwhile, according to reports, the government also said that the professionals arriving in Iceland, including scientists, filmmakers and athletes, will be eligible for a modified quarantine. 

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While speaking to an international media outlet, Thordis Kolbrun R. Gylfadottir, Minister for Tourism said that the when travellers return to Iceland the authorities want to have all mechanisms in place to safeguard them and the progress made in controlling the pandemic. She added that the nation's strategy of large-scale testing, tracing and isolating has proven effective so far. Furthermore, she added that the country wants to build on the experience of creating a safe place for those who want a change of scenery after what has been a tough spring for the nation. 

According to an international media report, the country’s population has also downloaded its COVID-19 tracing app to contain the deadly virus. The government also reportedly said that the travellers arriving will also likely be required to download and use the official app. The public data records location, however, the authorities said that the data will only be released for tracing purpose after an infection is confirmed. 

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‘A lot at stake’ 

Meanwhile, the island nation is reportedly struggling as flights drop to an all-time low, with 3,000 members of staff being laid off. The Chair of the Icelandic Travel Industry Association said that it very important to be able to have a more long-term view of things. He reportedly added that the authorities believe that if everything goes well then they should be able to see some tourists by summer. He also said that ‘there is a lot at stake’ and it is also a ‘life-or-death’ question for tourism in Iceland. Furthermore, he is also hopeful that people will realise that the situation is not just about Icelandair but tourism in Iceland as a whole, including the economy and the whole society. 

(Image: @evelynparis/Unsplash) 

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