For as many countries as there are in the Caribbean, there are just as many border re-openings and sets of COVID-protocols (usually related). And while some destinations, such as Jamaica, have been welcoming visitors, including Canadians, since last year, others are looking ahead to the winter season for a return to new normalcy – as vaccinations take hold, and importantly, airlines at last resume operations to their shores. Here’s the latest look, including Antigua, Aruba, and Saint Lucia:
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
Antigua and Barbuda will see a boost in airlift for the winter season, including the resumption of Air Canada flights between Toronto and St. John’s, Antigua & Barbuda, which began Oct 3.
The islands’ tourism minister Charles Fernandez said: “We welcome Canadians back to our shores and are very pleased that Air Canada has decided to resume services from Toronto to St. John’s, Antigua. This upcoming winter season, visitors will continue to safely enjoy Antigua and Barbuda.”
To ensure that that remains the case, the destination has put forward a number of COVID-19 protocols applicable to residents, visitors, and airline essential workers and visitors:
• All arriving passengers will require a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR (real-time polymerase chain reaction) test for SARS-CoV-2 using a nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal swab taken within four days of their flight or fewer.
• Children below the age of 5 years entering Antigua do not require a test.
• All arriving passengers (excluding children 18 years and younger) are required to have received at least one dose of a World Health Organization or Ministry of Health Wellness and the Environment approved two-dose COVID-19 vaccine.
• The wearing of face mask in public spaces is mandatory throughout Antigua and Barbuda and social/physical distancing protocols must be adhered to.
Full and updated details can be found HERE.
ARUBA
With the Canadian government easing travel restrictions, the Aruba Tourism Authority says it is excited to welcome back its “friends from the North.”
The tourism board reports that Air Canada, WestJet, and Sunwing are resuming service to Queen Beatrix International Airport in Oranjestad, Aruba with nearly 55,000 seats available between October and March.
Following is a roundup of airlines resuming air service that has or will be starting again soon:
• Sunwing flight service from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) to Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA) resumed Sept. 20, flying weekly on Mondays.
• Air Canada flight weekly service from YYZ to AUA go to twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays starting in November; 3x a week on Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays starting in December; and 4x a week on Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays starting in January.
• WestJet flight service from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) to Queen Beatrix International Airport (AUA) will resume twice weekly on Tuesdays and Saturdays Nov. 6, and 4x a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays in January.
“We are so pleased to see Canada back on the destination board here at Aruba Airport after months of suspended service….” says Jo-Anne Meaux Arends of the Aruba Airport Authority. “Air Canada and WestJet to nearly double capacity in the fourth quarter of 2021 and continue into early 2022 signals strong confidence in the Aruba market as we continue to recover as one of the sectors hardest hit by the pandemic.”
Since reopening its borders last summer, Aruba has implemented a number of travel protocols including requiring travellers to present a negative COVID-19 test prior to or upon arrival and purchase Aruba Visitors Insurance. Full details can be found at the aruba.com website.
SAINT LUCIA
The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority (SLTA), along tourism minister Dr. Ernest Hilaire, and other tourism stakeholders were on hand at Hewanorra International Airport on Oct. 3 to welcome Air Canada Rouge flight 1878, marking the return travellers from the island’s fourth largest international source market and a pandemic pause of nine months.
The flight brough a total of 148 returning nationals and visitors to the island and a A commemorative plaque was presented to Captain, Christopher Clarke, and crewmembers who disembarked to greet the delegation. The return flight to Toronto departed with 51 passengers and facilitated the exportation of 2,545 pounds of fresh produce to Canada.
Air Canada will fly nonstop service from YYZ to UVF every Sunday in October, increasing to Friday and Sunday service from Oct. 31. The winter schedule will include four weekly flights as of December 25th (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday). WestJet and Sunwing will also resume service in the weeks ahead.
In 2019, Saint Lucia welcomed over 40,000 Canadian visitor arrivals to the island and the tourism authority says it will keep the diverse market top of mind through “robust and targeted marketing and public relations campaigns” to created more awareness of the destination and access routes.
Current entry protocols (covered in more detail at stlucia.org) include:
• All travellers 18 years and older must complete and submit an online travel registration form to receive Travel Authorization
• All travellers 5 years and over must take a COVID PCR test 5 days or less before arrival in Saint Lucia and submit the negative results to the travel registration form for review and approval
• Travellers must receive and print the travel authorization documents prior to travel. Failure to do so will result in denied boarding of one’s flight or vessel.
• All arriving passengers must adhere to all protocols relevant to the island, including those related to wearing masks in public, social distancing and observing high standards of hand hygiene.
AND THE REST
The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) notes that most of the region’s 30-plus destination offerings have similar travel and health safety protocols, however the association has created a guide listing variations and updated protocols, available HERE.