The Caribbean is Coming Back to Life!
The COVID-19 pandemic has closed the world for the last two months. Everyone has had to stay at home to be safe, vacations became a distant memory. Now, slowly the world is opening, and lockdown restrictions are being eased. Finally we can think about planning our next vacation, and the Caribbean is the perfect place to start!
Let’s take a look at how our favorite Caribbean islands are planning on opening for tourism:
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic has officially announced that hotels and flights will be allowed to operate from July 1. This is ahead of previous expectations as discussed in our previous blog post. The country has been slowly returning to work, with the evening curfew reduced and businesses allowed to open. Social distancing guidelines will likely still be in place when the island opens up again.
Punta Cana International Airport has made some upgrades including:
Temperature readers
Social distancing prompts and support for visitors
Sanitizer gel available throughout the airport
Deep cleaning of shuttle buses
Mandatory masks and gloves for airport staff
New hygiene and cleaning protocols
VIP assistance available additionally
The island relies heavily on tourism, so it is important that the reopening is successful to prevent further lockdowns. This beautiful island is one of the largest in the Caribbean. There are plenty of amazing places to go to stay away from the crowds. A lot of tour operators offer private tours also, so you can explore with just your group. The island has plenty of accommodation options, all of which are adding measures to ensure the safety of guests.
Jamaica
Jamaica are opening borders for nationals from June 1 and tourists June 15. They are preparing resort areas to accept tourists safely. The action plan for tourists will be announced soon, and we will be sure to keep you updated when we have further information. Depending on where Jamaican nationals are returning from, testing and quarantine may be necessary.
One of the great benefits of the island is its large beaches, making social distancing much easier than some other destinations. Jamaica is committed to opening successfully, and is making a full hygiene plan to ensure that visitors will be safe.
We can’t wait for our favorite Caribbean destinations to open! Although travel will be a different experience post COVID, we’re sure that we’ll receive an amazing warm welcome from the local people in these amazing places! We’ll be keeping you up to date with the latest for all of our destinations! Where do you plan to go on your first vacation after lockdown? Let us know in our facebook group!