COVID protocols still in place for visitors

The May 8 commencement of new protocols for visitors vaccinated against Covid-19 is still in place.

Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Senator Lisa Cummins, told members of the media during a recent press conference that government will push ahead with the new protocols, despite the recent six-day closure of the airport due to ash fall from the La Soufriere volcano.

Speaking on the forecast for visitor arrivals with the implementation of the protocols, Cummins stated for the 2021-2022 winter season, increased numbers are expected from the island’s main source markets.

The news would be a welcome one for tourism sector players as the industry continues to flag under the weight of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We spent the early part of (Friday) morning meeting with over 60 tour operators out of the markets and many of the major airlines, going through the protocols, getting a sense of what the market has been saying in response to the protocols, what the demands and projections are looking like for the rest of the season. And we continue to receive feedback and we expect that between now and May 8 we will very much be in position, in collaboration with our partners both here in Barbados and our tour operators and airline partners abroad in new markets, that we will very much be in a position to re-open Barbados to traffic for vaccinated passengers,” Cummins stated.

The Senator outlined that there are a combination of factors in the source markets based on their own domestic regulations set by their governments and regulators, as well as the protocols here in Barbados and how these two will coincide.

“The period between May and June may be a little bit challenging when we’re talking about the Canadian and UK market, but for the US market as they continue with an aggressive vaccination programme, as they continue to see reductions in the number of cases, we will continue to see strong demand.

“The latter part of the year, the early part of 2022 is looking extremely strong. The demand is very strong but there is that latent uncertainty remaining around the May – June period, but then we see a moderate picking up in July – August through September,” she continued.