Cost of travel drops by GHS 1,300 after PCR, Antigen cuts
In-bound travel cost to Ghana has dropped by some US$180 after the repeal of pre-departure PCR test and antigen test on arrival at Kotoka International Airport.
At an exchange rate of one US dollar to GHC 7.4, this translates into a savings of some GHC 1,332 for Ghanaians and other nationals arriving in Ghana for leisure or business.
Prior to the President Akufo-Addo’s announcement of the abolishing of both PCR and antigen test for fully vaccinated travellers into Ghana effective Monday, March 28, 2022, in-bound passengers had to pay between US$30 and US$50 dollars for PCR tests from their country of departure.
They also had to pay US$150 and US$50 respectively as either international passengers or ECOWAS nationals for an antigen test and undergo screening at the Frontiers laboratory located in the Upper Arrival Hall of the Kotoka International Airport.
Travel consultant with Krishna Travels and Tours, Courage K. Tsegah, says that the scrapping of PCR and antigen tests for in-bound travellers is great news .
“Basically, our market niche is corporate customers and most of them, as much as their business requires, held back from travelling because of the cumbersome test requirements for both out-bound and in-bound travellers.
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“When you calculate the total for going to a place like say Abuja, where they have to do a test from Accra and when they are coming too they pay US$50, it didn’t make sense for them to be paying that much. So once it is scrapped, what we are hoping it will do is to increase the total sales volume for us as travel agencies; because now companies can only just travel without the fear of expensive tests,” the experienced travel consultant and Business Development Manager of Khrishna Travel and Tours said.
President Akufo-Addo on Sunday, March 27, 2022, announced the end of mandatory pre-departure PCR test and antigen test on arrival at the Kotoka international Airport for fully vaccinated in-bound travellers, effective March 28, 2022.
“From tomorrow, Monday, 28th March, fully vaccinated travellers into Ghana will not take PCR tests from the country of embarkation to allow them entry into the country through the KIA, and will not be tested on arrival.
Citizens and foreign residents in Ghana, who are not fully vaccinated, would, however, need to provide a negative PCR test result of not more than 48-hours, will undergo an antigen test upon arrival at KIA, and will be offered vaccination there,” President Akufo-Addo said on Sunday.
