Pacific island that succeeded in eradicating coronavirus begins to receive tourists

Palau President Surangel Whipps said security measures would be maintained to ensure the bubble’s success. “We can all have fun. And tourists can come back smiling,” he said.

Taiwanese Minister of Health Chen Shih-chung said the bubble was possible because “both sides were in good control of the epidemic.”

Palau (known as Palau in English) integrates Oceania and borders Indonesia and the Philippines. It is made up of more than three hundred islands and is one of fifteen countries that have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory without the right to diplomatic recognition.

This paradise nation with idyllic beaches has about 18,000 inhabitants, and since the start of the pandemic no positive results have been recorded in the analyzes. The recipe was to maintain strict isolation from the rest of the world since March 2020, despite the fact that they live almost exclusively from tourism. Taiwan confirmed its tenth coronavirus death on March 6 since the start of the pandemic.

The tour operators created a festive atmosphere, with shows and lessons in basic Palauan phrases.

Taiwanese blogger Shih Song-han said the trip was a “rare opportunity” amid the pandemic.

“It has been a whole year without traveling. It will be a new experience for every passenger. I also want to show my followers that international travel is open,” said the travel blogger.

Another passenger, Josephine Lin, said she has been feeling “very confident lately” about Taiwan’s success in fighting the pandemic. “The situation is the same in Palau. That’s why I think this country is safe and I like to visit it,” Lin said.