(Seychelles News Agency) - The Seychelles' Department of Health has moved Israel up to the list of countries permitted to visit the island nation as of November 16, a listing welcomed by the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB).  

This means that visitors from Israel must have a COVID-19 negative PCR test 48 hours before departure for Seychelles alongside their approved Health Travel Authorisation (HTA) for entry and will not be subject to a restriction of movement during their stay.

Conditions applicable to visitors from countries on the Category 1 that are deemed low or medium risk are less rigid than for other visitors coming from countries listed as Category 2 which have higher risks.

The chief executive of STB, Sherin Francis, said, "I can say that we are happy it has been added onto the list of permitted Category 1 countries and this will come into effect as of the 16^th November. This means that we would be able to get some traction from Israel now that movement from Europe has reduced significantly."

She said that although Israel is not necessarily a big market for Seychelles, like France, UK or other European countries are, "it is a very constant market with high yield visitors. Israel is a country where the COVID-19 containment has improved a lot. Its infection rate has considerably lowered."

Since the new listing, Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, is getting a lot of interest from Israel.

"We are seeing a lot of response on the ground from the agencies which sell Seychelles in Israel. Already they have started to push sales. Air Seychelles has its first flight which will land from Israel on 16^th November also," said Francis.

STB is also intensifying its marketing strategies and Francis said that "I believe over the next few weeks with our work we will be able to attract Israeli citizens to holiday in Seychelles. Even if it is not a big market for us, in the present COVID 19 situation, with the right communication and connectivity it can make a difference in our arrival figures."

The news of Israel being now listed as Category 1 Seychelles has also been welcomed in the Middle Eastern country with its media already reporting on the development. 

Another market which is set to pick up even if it is not a big one is South Africa as it too is now on the Category 1 list especially now that Air Seychelles has resumed commercial passenger services to Johannesburg.