Vaccine tourism is now becoming popular especially for places that are struggling with their vaccination rollouts. Guam is fast becoming a favorite destination for Taiwanese travelers looking to get vaccinated.
The Air Visit & Vacation (V&V) Program was arranged by the Guam Visitors Bureau to attract travelers from Taiwan who want to have a vacation and get vaccinated at the same time. Under the program, those who are eligible to travel can go to Guam and receive the first dose of the vaccine a day after they arrive.
According to CNA, Taiwan’s state-run news channel, 164 passengers went to Guam and participated in the program. Most of the 164 passengers had their first vaccine dose the following day.
Sold Out Through Mid-July
This kind of tour is now becoming popular with those who can qualify to travel to Guam. According to Lion Travel which is a major travel company in Taiwan, the tour packages from Taiwan to Guam have been sold out through mid-July.
Guam’s governor Lou Leon Guerrero said that foreign travelers will only need a negative COVID19 test 72 hours before their flight to be exempted from doing quarantine. Also, the first 5,000 international visitors to Guam under the program will get $500.
Another thing that makes it popular among Taiwanese tourists is the chance to choose your vaccine. Travelers can pick Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. And even if the travelers were able to get their first dose somewhere else. the V&V program can still provide them with a second dose.
To join the program, travelers will need to reserve rooms at 11 of the designated hotels included in the program. They will then have to arrange private transport from the airport to the hotel and then book a vaccination appointment online. The vaccines are administered at the hotels.
Shortage of Vaccines in Taiwan
Taiwan was ranked third best in the world when it comes to effectiveness in controlling the virus. It was only behind New Zealand and Bhutan. Though Taiwan is among the countries that handled the COVID19 pandemic remarkably, the country experienced a shortage of COVID19 vaccines last May.
