Zimbabwe has now dropped its COVID-19-related entry health regulations with immediate effect, putting it in step with the rest of the region.

There was some confusion when the Zimbabwean government announced on May 12 that regulations would be dropped, when entrants to the country found that the old rules were still in force and they still needed COVID tests or vaccination certificates because the new rules had not yet been gazetted, see here.

On Friday June 9, the Zimbabwe Minister of Health issued an order that returning residents and visitors to Zimbabwe no longer had to produce a negative PCR COVID test, or a vaccination certificate at the port of entry.

David Wood, Marketing & Product Development Director of Air Holidays, an operator that specialises in the region, told Tourism Update this was very good news.

“This was a bit like a COVID-hangover. Botswana and Zambia dropped their COVID rules earlier in the year. Combination trips, taking in more than one of the countries in the region, are popular, so the fact that Zimbabwe still had the COVID regulations in place caused a little hesitancy in the market.

“This will be good for tourism into Zimbabwe.”