Ease-of-Travel Increases in Belize Thanks to Expanded Testing For North American Travelers

by Carolee Chanona

As Belize continues to see a decreasing trend of cases, the destination is committed to being more accessible to North America. In the past, the first question travelers would have asked was, “Is there WiFi available?” Now, it’s “Where can we get a test before going back home?” With the U.S. and Canada’s pre-entry requirement of a negative COVID test in hand as of January 2021, local carrier Maya Island Air sprung at the opportunity to expand accessibility—to both their passengers and passerbys—for ease-of-travel in Belize. Even as international tourists travel safely and securely, visitors can now face yet one less impediment: Testing facilities across the country’s major tourism hubs, thanks to carriers like Caring Hands Clinic.

A Rise in Airline Demand

Maya-welcome-to-belize-domestic-flight

Indispensable for a holiday destination, expanded testing clinics across Belize with results in as little as 15 minutes is in the country’s best interest—one less roadblock for holidaymakers to come to us. The air and hotel industries are definitely seeing some positive effects. Take Maya Island Air—a domestic airline—who recorded up to 71% of their 2019’s capacity in May 2021. That demand for destinations closer to home for North Americans is showing in airline schedules—Alaska Airlines starts two new flights to Belize this November, and United increased flights to Belize from five non-stop destinations.

Photo courtesy BTB

More airline carriers are adding flights, and in some cases COVID-19 testing programs, for travel to Belize and the Caribbean, which has been a region central to carriers’ strategies to tap into pockets of holiday demand as vaccines make their way around the world. Locally, Caring Hands Clinic, in partnership with Maya Island Air, has invested heavily into coronavirus testing, becoming one of the country’s leaders in the process. Here’s where to find all of Caring Hands Clinic’s testing centers across the country.

All testing centers are staffed by qualified medical personnel and utilize Abbott Test Kits that are FDA approved and CDC compliant. Not to mention, readily available as air traffic evolves in the wake of COVID, demanding even more flexibility—even warranting mobile testing. In return, the U.S. is spearheading a nascent revival in overseas air travel as people jump at the chance to fly to destinations in the Caribbean, like Belize, without quarantines or other COVID-related restrictions.

Ambergris Caye

Found within Maya Island Air’s renovated stand-alone Terminal 1 in San Pedro Town, the clinic is open daily from 8 am – 5 pm. Maya Island Air also announced that, in the near future, they’ll have two more testing sites open at Alaia Belize and Victoria House Resort and Spa.

Placencia

Found directly next to the Maya Island Air clinic at Placencia Airport (IATA: PLJ).

Dangriga

Found directly next to the Maya Island Air clinic at Dangriga Airport (IATA: DGA).

Hopkins

caring hands clinic lodge jaguar reef belize

Find Caring Hands Clinic at The Lodge at Jaguar Reef. Open daily from 8 am – 5 pm.

Cayo

The Cayo Family Clinic is located at 1393 Bullet Tree Road, San Ignacio, operating  Monday through Saturday from 8 am to 5 pm. Sundays are appointment only.

Belize City

Find Caring Hands Clinic inside Maya Island Air’s terminal at the Sir Barry Bowen Municipal Airport.

Header image courtesy Maya Island Air

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