Emirates given 'warm welcome' as it becomes the first international airline to return to the Seychelles

The Indian Ocean island nation is reopening to tourists

Emirates was the first international airline to land in the Seychelles as it reopens to tourists. Twitter / seychellescaa

Emirates touched down in the Seychelles yesterday, making it the first international airline to arrive in the country as it reopens to tourists after months of Covid-19 travel restrictions.

The airline tweeted about the warm welcome it received.

The flight touched down at Seychelles International Airport near the capital city, Victoria, at 6.27am local time on Saturday, August 1. A second Emirates Boeing 777 arrived in the country today.

The Seychelles is a four-hour flight from the UAE, and is a popular destination for tourists from the Emirates.

It was announced on Wednesday, July 22 that Emirates would resume services to the Seychelles from Saturday, August 1. The airline is flying five times a week to the popular Indian Ocean destination. This will increase to six flights a week from Tuesday, August 4.

The airline's network is gradually expanding since it grounded flights owing to the coronavirus pandemic. The airline is now flying to 67 destinations.

Do you need a Covid-19 test to travel to the Seychelles?

To visit the Seychelles, travellers must provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test, conducted within 72 hours of the date of travel. This only applies to visitors on a list of 33 countries considered to be low to medium risk, which includes the UAE. Visitors from countries not on the list cannot yet enter the Seychelles.

Where Emirates is flying to: