Pune: The Ministry of Tourism has urged the state and the United States to eliminate the RT-PCR test for people who are fully vaccinated who choose travel between countries and show their certificates on arrival.
“The Ministry on Wednesday sent written communication to the Secretary of State, urged the state / UTS to adopt a uniform travel protocol during Covid,” Rupinder Brar, the Additional Director General, the Ministry of Tourism, to TII.
On August 9, Tourism Minister G Kisshan Reddy told Lok Sabha: “The ministry has asked the state / UT to double vaccinated passengers from carrying RT-PCR reports during the inter-country trip.” Until now, several states allow tourists who are fully vaccinated to enter without negative RT-PCR reports.
But it states like West Bengal (for travelers from Mumbai, Pune and Chennai), Karnataka, Goa, Chhattisgarh requested a negative report of RT-PCR which must be released from the status of a double vaccination of travelers.
Brar said the ministry tried to convince all countries to adopt uniform protocols – not to mandate RT-PCR tests for fully vaccinated travelers who provide their final vaccination certificate.
The ministry held a meeting with representatives from the Federation of Associations in Indian tourism and hospitality and all state governments on August 5, with discussions mainly focusing on harmonization of travel protocols during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Countries such as Sikkim and Maharashtra allow travelers from other parts of the state based on full vaccination and not in RT-PCR testing reports.
In principle, all states that are part of the meeting have agreed that this is a logical choice,” said Brar .
The ministry will also hold a meeting with the health and and the Ministry of Civil Aviation to measure how uniform protocols can be taken ahead and more relaxation can be done by travelers.