Those who were vaccinated in other countries will have to test every three days starting tomorrow in order to be permitted to enter Switzerland’s indoor dining areas, but Switzerland Tourism (ST) says it is working on an emergency solution.
Beginning September 13, every person in Switzerland will be required to have a COVID-19 passport in order to enter indoor spaces such as restaurants, cafeterias, and other establishments.
Tourists visiting the country for whatever reason are also required to have such a document. Their vaccination certificates, however, will not be recognised if they were vaccinated outside of the European Union and the European Economic Area. Instead, every three days, these travellers will have to test for COVID-19.
Switzerland Tourism (ST), the official marketing organisation promoting Switzerland as an attractive and diversified tourism destination, has raised the issue. Travelers from other countries, according to ST, will need a COVID-19 certificate even to enter their hotel’s restaurant area.
Concerning the Swiss authorities’ move, the organisation said, “For meals in a (hotel) restaurant, guests from third countries who have been vaccinated and who have legally entered the country with a vaccination certificate must be tested every three days.”
SchengenVisaInfo.com claims that visitors from the United Kingdom, North America, Brazil, Southeast Asia, and the Gulf States will be severely affected by this problem.
“The industry is affected to different degrees depending on the tourism region and service provider,” it adds, assuring visitors that Switzerland Tourism (ST) is working hard to find a quick solution.
Travelers in Switzerland are currently eligible for free rapid COVID-19 tests, but only until September 30.
On September 9, SchengenVisaInfo.com reported that, as a result of a Swiss Federal Council decision, all persons over the age of 16 who wish to access indoor areas, including restaurants, cultural and leisure facilities, and a variety of other areas, will be required to have a COVID-19 certificate starting September 13.
The policy will be in effect until January 24, 2022, and anyone who does not comply will be fined €92. (CHF 100).
Several other EU countries have already made it mandatory for inhabitants and visitors to have similar documents in order to access indoor places as part of their measures to combat the spread of the virus.
– India’s new age travel digital media
