A bombshell announcement from the Tanzanian government on May 3, specifying 14 days of mandatory quarantine for travellers entering from unspecified countries “with new Covid-19 variants” threw the cat among the pigeons as travel agents and tour operators specialising in Zanzibar (which falls under the Tanzanian government) scrambled to make sense of the ruling.
However, a new and modified Travel Advisory, effective May 4, was issued yesterday, and it clearly states now that it is only travellers who have travelled from or via India who are affected.
The advisory now specifies that it is travellers and returning residents who have travelled through India in the prior 14 days who will be subject to the 14 days of mandatory quarantine, at a government-designated quarantine facility, at their own cost.
All travellers into Tanzania are still subject to several other measures, which are not likely to affect their enjoyment of a holiday in Zanzibar. Hand hygiene, face masks, health information cards to be filled, travellers’ surveillance forms, a negative PCR test certificate from a test taken inside 72 hours from arrival, and rapid test at US$25 on arrival.