Yacht Charters in Mediterranean Countries Are Opening Back Up

Since COVID-19 first hit the Mediterranean in March, luxury yacht charters have been suspended. Now, a growing number of Mediterranean countries have declared themselves open for business.

Montenegro, Croatia, Malta and Tunisia are among the top six European countries to record the lowest number of active cases. Montenegro has been promoting itself as “Europe’s first Coronavirus-free country” since May 27, when the Balkan country announced it no longer had any active cases of the virus.

While cases continue to rise in Africa, Asia and North and South America amid fears of a global second spike, many "yachties" have been enjoying the Mediterranean summer from the decks of their mega yachts.

Kim Williams of super yacht agency Yacht Services Tunisia believes that Tunisia’s success is down to the swift action taken early on by the government.

“The Tunisian government were very proactive in trying to stop the spread of COVID-19,” he said. “The entire country was put on lockdown on March 21, with only around 50 reported cases.”

As for common closures in Montenegro, Mosques, cafes, airspace and international borders were shut down and there were imposed nighttime curfews.

Croatia, one of the most popular yachting destinations in the world, was one of the first European destinations to reopen. Yachts have been allowed to sail and charter in Croatian waters since mid-May.

As for Montenegro, quarantine requirements for all yachts arriving from outside its waters were removed on June 1, and its borders were opened to countries with fewer than 25 people infected per 100,000 inhabitants.

Malta was one of the few countries to make a travel ban exemption during lockdown for yachts arriving into port from outside its borders with only crew on board. Yachts were allowed to undertake repairs, refueling and servicing from June 5 in a bid to help kick start Malta’s yachting industry in time for the summer months.

From June 1, the island reopened its airports and seaports. Foreign visitors arriving from select regions of Spain, France, Greece and Italy are not required to quarantine upon arrival.

As for Tunisia, their three-month countrywide lockdown saw Tunisian citizens who were abroad at the start of lockdown safely repatriated, with a required 14-day isolation period spent in mandated quarantine. With the pandemic contained, Tunisia reopened its borders in late June.

“Tunisia has been through a lot over the past nine years, but each time it rises up against the odds,” says Williams. “With our international borders now open, we should all be very thankful for the swift action that the Tunisian government has taken.”

Currently, Montenegro, Croatia, Tunisia and Turkey are open for charters to US visitors. Italy and France, the most popular countries of the Western Mediterranean are open only to EU and Schengen countries.

Burgess Yachts has a web page that regularly updates each country’s status for port openings and charters. The list includes Europe, the US, Caribbean and the South Pacific.