On 15 July, the Indian Ocean island entered phase one of its reopening plan which allowed fully inoculated individuals to quarantine for two weeks in one of its 14 "resort bubbles".

Following an acceleration of the country’s vaccination programme, it has now green-lit phase two of its reopening schedule, which allows vaccinated travellers with a negative PCR test taken 72 hours before departure to "freely explore" the island without quarantine restrictions.

Tourism employees were prioritised during the country’s vaccine rollout, including hotel staff, Air Mauritius employees, airport workers and other front line tourism professionals.

Mauritius is currently on the UK government’s amber list for overseas travel, meaning fully vaccinated Britons do not have to quarantine upon their return to the UK.

British Airways (BA) offers three non-stop flights from Gatwick to Mauritius each week and Air Mauritius will add direct flights from Heathrow to Mauritius from 2 October.