Chile has officially reopened Easter Island and received its first tourists at Mataveri International Airport, according to Reuters.
The island, known as Rapa Nui, has been closed for more than two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Unesco World Heritage Site is 3 219km from the coast of Chile. Its most famous feature are the 1 000-plus giant stone heads (Moai) believed to have been carved centuries ago by its inhabitants.
The island is one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world, with the closest inhabited land, Pitcairn Island, 2 075km away.
Visitors must be fully vaccinated and present a negative PCR test taken no more than 24 hours before boarding one of the 5hr 40m domestic flights from mainland Chile to the island. Tourists on international flights to the island must take an antigen test once they arrive.
In addition, visitors to Rapa Nui must also comply with administrative requirements that have been in force since 2018. These include completing the Single Entry Form to the island and being in possession of a reservation in tourist accommodation. Visitors may not stay longer than 30 days on the island.
LATAM Airlines said it had reopened the route from Santiago, Chile, to Easter Island with flights on Thursdays and Saturdays, and said it hoped to add more flights.
