St. Kitts & Nevis will reopen its borders to international visitors as of October 31, 2020. Conversely, the Caribbean island is one of the last in the region to reopen — a purposely cautious approach. However, the twin-island country has received positive international recognition of successfully managing its “first wave” of the global pandemic. This included aggressive testing early on, contact tracing and a quarantine program along with an “All of Society” approach. So, it is no surprise they take this same approach to reopening. Now, St. Kitts & Nevis joins its Caribbean neigbors, including Belize, to rekindle its tourism industry.
St. Kitts & Nevis’ Entry Requirements at Reopening
Photo courtesy of Matador Network
Much like the guidelines set out by the Belize Tourism Board in the Gold Standard for Belize Travel, visitors to St. Kitts & Nevis must adhere to similar entry requirements. International travelers coming from the U.S., Canada, U.K., Europe, Africa, South America and all those outside CARICOM member states must complete the Entry Form on their federal website (www.covid19.gov.kn). In addition, they will have to submit a negative PCR test completed within 72 hours of travel from an accredited laboratory. Lastly, they will need to undergo a health screening at the airport and download a contact tracing mobile app.
Reopening Protocols on the Island
At reopening, visitors are required to stay at their hotel for their first week on St. Kitts & Nevis. However, they may interact with other guests and partake in hotel activities. Those staying longer than week will need to undergo a PCR-test, at their own expense, on Day 7 of their visit. Following a negative result, they are allowed to book choice excursions through their hotel. Once again, visitors staying longer than two weeks will be required to undergo a second PCR-test on Day 14, at their own expense. Finally, following a negative result, they will be allowed to freely explore the island.
Travel Approved
In addition to the above protocols, all St. Kitts and Nevis businesses wishing to reopen and welcome travelers must be Travel Approved. Essentially, they undergo training and are inspected to ensure they meet all health and safety criteria outlined within the travel program.
“We have been working diligently to prepare for this reopening to ensure that we are ready to welcome travelers by training and certifying local businesses and individuals in the health and safety protocols they are required to meet and be certified in to be permitted to operate,.”
– Hon. Lindsay F.P. Grant, Minister of Tourism, Transport and Ports
For more information on this reopening and how to get to St.Kitts & Nevis, visit the official tourism website.
