One year after banning American tourists, Madagascar is welcoming back US travelers

Madagascar is welcoming back U.S. citizens starting Saturday, Oct. 23. 

The island country, located off the coast of East Africa, had banned tourists from the U.S. and a handful of other countries in October 2020. 

To enter under the country’s new travel restrictions, travelers must test negative for COVID within 3 days before boarding and quarantine at an approved hotel at least one night while they wait for the results of a second coronavirus test, according to an Oct. 15 press release from the Madagascar National Tourism Board. If the test comes back positive, the quarantine will be extended another 14 days.  

Regional flights between Madagascar and neighboring Indian Ocean islands, including Mauritius and Reunion Island, were set to launch Saturday. Additional flights from Europe are scheduled to resume service Nov. 6. 

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U.S. citizens are among those welcome back, according to the U.S. Embassy in Madagascar and Comoros.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has classified Madagascar as a destination with low COVID-19 risk. It suggests travelers get fully vaccinated before entering the country.  

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Follow USA TODAY reporter Bailey Schulz on Twitter: @bailey_schulz.