All Rhodes vacationers tested negative for coronavirus in test holiday

All 188 holiday-goers who participated in a pilot vacation on the Greek island of Rhodes have now tested negative for coronavirus and can make their return to the Netherlands. That includes those who previously tested positive during the vacation, de Gelderland reported.

During the holiday pilot on the Greek island, eight Dutch travelers were quarantined. Four of them tested positive for the virus, and their roommates also had to be quarantined as a precaution. On Sunday, all travelers but one were released from isolation.

After returning home on Monday, the participants will have to quarantine for five days, after which they will be tested again. Alternatively, participants of the government’s first coronavirus-free holiday could also opt for 10 days of quarantine in case they chose not to get tested again.

It was the first trial holiday abroad from organized from the Netherlands. The trip included 189 participants in an all-inclusive, five-star resort for a week. It was meant to find a model for vacations so that travel can be restarted safely after the coronavirus crisis.

“The holiday shows that the safety protocols are working well. This indicates the power of organized travel. We are able to respond and act immediately“, said Martine Langerak, the representative of Sunweb travel agency which co-organized the pilot holiday.

The second trial holiday will take place in May when 180 travelers will depart to the Spanish island of Gran Canaria. Registration opened up for that on Monday with travel providers Corendon and Tui.