Vanuatu plans travel bubble with Covid-free countries

A taskforce is preparing guidelines for a limited reopening of Vanuatu's border, the trade minister says.

     The country has been sealed off from the outside world since March, in an effort to keep the coronavirus out.

In a statement, James Bule said the guidelines were being drawn up as part of the government's tourism crisis recovery plan.

It would allow for the opening of a travel bubble - or what Vanuatu's dubbed a 'Tamtam bubble' - with Covid-free countries.

Those countries would include places like New Zealand and Solomon Islands, but not Australia where there is community transmission.

Mr Bule said the bubble could be in place as soon as September, but other government ministers have said it could be as late as December.