Easter Island to reopen for tourism in Aug. after 2-year virus hiatus

Statues of heads known as "moais" stand at Rano Raraku, the quarry on Easter Island or Rapa Nui, Chile, August 2012. Chile announced on May 20, 2022, the progressive reopening of Rapa Nui, the mysterious island of moai located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, after almost two years of closure to protect it from the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP File Photo)

by Agence France-Presse - AFP

May 21, 2022 10:05 am

The ancient stone heads of Easter Island will once again welcome visitors starting on Aug. 1, bringing a two-year pandemic break to an end, Chile's government announced Friday.

The Pacific island, located 3,500 kilometers (2,175 miles) west of the coast of Chile, is world-famous for its "moais," huge stone statues in human form partially buried in the earth.

"It has been agreed that the opening of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) would take place on Monday, Aug. 1, 2022," said a statement from the Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism.

The original reopening date was February, but that plan did not materialize under the government of former President Sebastian Pinera.

Authorities drew up a new plan to reopen the island after leftist President Gabriel Boric took office in March.

The island's main source of revenue was domestic and international tourism before flights to and from it were grounded on March 16, 2020, following the first reported cases of coronavirus in the country.

Easter Island currently has only one weekly flight, operated by the Latam airline. From Aug. 1, up to three flights per week will be operated by Latam to transport tourists, the ministry said.

The Chilean government has set a precondition that the local COVID-19 vaccination rate must reach 80% in order for tourism to reopen. The current vaccination rate among the island's 10,000 inhabitants is approximately 73%.

The medical center of its only city, Hanga Roa, does not have an intensive care unit but is equipped with respirators. An emergency flight to the mainland takes about 5 1/2 hours.

The island has had only a handful of cases of coronavirus. No hospitalizations or deaths have resulted from the outbreak, according to local authorities.

In October, the indigenous population of Easter Island held a referendum on whether tourism to the UNESCO world heritage site should be resumed.

The result, which was non-binding, showed more than 67% of those who voted were against the move.

Chile has recorded 3.6 million cases and more than 57,000 deaths due to the coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the World Health Organization.