Many of the Caribbean are hoping to welcome tourists back as soon as possible by reopening their borders this month and next, with a phased opening of the region and various measures in place to ensure tourism comes back safely. Belize is the latest Caribbean nation to reopen tourism by phased approach, confirming August 15 with it’s international airport reopening.
June Reopenings
St. Lucia reopened to tourism on June 4.
Saint Lucia was the first to open its borders to international tourists on June 4, with visitors required to present proof of a negative Covid-19 test within 48 hours of boarding their flight. Antigua and Barbuda also opened to tourists on that same date. Similarly, Jamaica was next, reopening its borders on June 15, with all arrivals screened via thermal temperature checks and symptoms observation, with testing on arrival obligatory for all. Jamaica’s health and safety protocols are reassessed every two weeks. Among the first Caribbean islands to reopen on June 1, St. John, St. Thomas, and St. Croix are currently accepting visitors.
July Reopenings
Turks and Caicos plans to reopen on July 22.
Turks and Caicos will follow, opening its borders on 22 July. In Puerto Rico, the island will be reopening to tourists July 15, as a phased reopening rolls out for locals. Additionally, Aruba is reopening its border in stages. First, on July 1, European, Canadian, and Caribbean tourists (with the exception of the those from the Dominican Republic and Haiti) will be able to visit. Then, on July 10, Aruba will extend that to U.S. travelers. Meanwhile, the Bahamas have a two-staged plan: First, international boaters (including yachters) and those with private planes are allowed to visit since June 15. Next, on July 1, all international visitors will be welcome as long as they can show negative COVID-19 results from a test taken within 10 days of arrival.
