Colin James, CEO of the Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority, said that the total number of COVID 19 cases in Antigua & Barbuda remains at 26 with only 3 active cases where it has been since early May, as reported by the Ministry of Health, Wellness and The Environment.

The Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority has refuted claims that some passengers arriving on AA2405 on Wednesday, June 10 tested positive for COVID 19.

Visitors arriving in Antigua & Barbuda on commercial flights staying at approved accommodation are evaluated for COVID 19 with a series of health screenings, temperature checks and nose swabs taken for the corona virus test. Returning nationals receive health screenings and temperature checks but are not routinely tested. Returning Nationals are required to self-quarantine for up to 14 days when their home accommodation is deemed suitable. There is an option to quarantine at the Government’s Quarantine facility if they are unable to safely quarantine at home.

At this time all results for persons arriving at the VC Bird International Airport have been negative. There have been no positive results to date for those entering the country.

James said, “Health Officials have put a full system of protocols in place to protect both visitors and our own people from COVID 19. For details on these procedures please refer to www.visitantiguabarbuda.com.”

Antigua & Barbuda reopened for tourism on June 4th.

Anguilla is proceeding cautiously towards the reopening of her borders to international travellers. Government approved aircrafts, ships, vessels or boats used for the repatriation of Anguillian citizens and the departure of Anguillian and non-Anguillian citizens from Anguilla, are now allowed to operate into the island’s air and sea ports of entry.

The government of Anguilla acted rapidly and aggressively to contain the Covid-19 virus, with a widespread public education campaign, restrictions on social gatherings and closing the borders in mid-March. They also launched an innovative platform – www.beatcovid19.ai – a public / private sector collaboration that provided a central space for all official news and updates related to COVID-19. As a result, the island experienced just 3 reported cases, two of which were imported, and all of whom have fully recovered. There were no fatalities, and the island is now 60 days and counting without a new case.

Reopening borders inevitably brings the risk of new infections, and the government’s priority is to ensure that effective procedures are in place to identify, mitigate, contain and treat any suspected case, eliminating the possibility of community spread.

“We are keeping both our citizens overseas and our travel partners in the marketplace updated on our progress and look forward to welcoming everyone back to Anguilla in the very near future,” said Cardigan Connor, Parliamentary Secretary, Tourism.

At this point, no definitive date for reopening the borders to commercial international travel has been announced. However, the government has outlined their measured approach to reopening, which will take place in phases.

• Phase One is the repatriation of Anguillians overseas – students, family members, residents — who need to return home. An online portal has been set up on the www.beatcovid19.ai platform to assist Anguillians abroad with the registration and screening requirements, in order to effectively manage the repatriation process.

• With the help of the British government, Anguilla has acquired both the GenXpert and the Quanstudio PCR machines, along with testing kits, supplies and staff training which has enabled the Health Authority of Anguilla to now accurately and quickly test for COVID-19.

• Guidelines for industry stakeholders, developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, international and regional associators including the USTA, CHTA, CARPHA and IATA, are being circulated and implemented across all product sectors – accommodations, transportation, attractions, retail and dining establishments.

• In Phase Two the administration will prepare to welcome paying guests; both travel advisors and stakeholders have indicated that there is demand for Anguilla, in particular from repeat guests who spend up to two months on island.

• The administration is also working on a number of touchless solutions, such as online immigration processing, virtual check-in and check-out at hotels; that will also be in effect as part of the travel safety protocols implemented on reopening.

Additional updates on the reopening of Anguilla’s borders and tourism sector will be issued in the coming weeks, once all travel safety protocols have been finalized.

Sunny Isles Beach Miami has announced its beaches, hotels and resorts, restaurants and other businesses are open to visitors and residents alike. Following CDC guidelines and protocols, establishments are presenting a worry-free environment to enjoy a getaway at the beach.

“Our hospitality community couldn’t be more diligent in offering a safe and welcoming atmosphere for visitors to enjoy,” stated Ibis Romero, CTC, executive director of the Sunny Isles Beach Tourism & Marketing Council.

A three-minute video was recently produced by the local tourism community to convey the extra steps being taken to ensure guest safety.

Bar owners in New Orleans prepared for a soft opening, and an uncertain one, as they began letting customers in Saturday for the first time in months. Capacity is limited to 25 percent, live music remains prohibited, and nobody knows how many tourists will show on Bourbon Street in the age of COVID-19.

Bourbon Street, which had the ambiance of an empty movie set in April, has experienced a slow re-awakening in recent weeks. Dine-in restaurants have been allowed to reopen at 25% capacity, as have bars with food permits. Still, traffic has been slow and plywood covered numerous tavern windows until Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced the latest easing of restrictions in a city that, in the spring, had become an international hot spot for COVID-19.

Even as they announced the reopenings on Tuesday, city officials admitted they were concerned about a possible recurrence.

“Oh, I’m worried. I am worried,” Cantrell said at a news conference. She said city code enforcement officials will watch to make sure social distancing, masking requirements and building capacity limits are enforced.

Customers will have to be mindful, too, said Dr. Jennifer Avegno, the city’s health director. “If you’re there, with your household group and you’re having drinks at a table at a bar, we really need you not to go off and mingle with the other tables,” she said Tuesday.

Toward that end, there will be no musicians on stage at Fortner’s Tropical Isle bars on Bourbon Street. That prevents people from congregating near the stage and eliminates the possibility that a singer belting out a song could also be unknowingly spreading the virus. That fear that has kept the city from allowing live music performances, including choirs in churches.

Some New Orleans bar owners are critical of the restrictions. “Why are they picking on the musicians?” said Fortner.

And some bars, like the Maple Leaf, a venerable late night haunt in the Carrollton neighbourhood, decided not to open.

“While our City leaders have decided to allow bars to reopen … we will not be allowed to have Live Music and what is the Leaf without our musicians?” read a post on the Maple Leaf’s Facebook page.

One of the quarter’s best known tourist spots, Pat O’Brien’s, also didn’t plan an immediate reopening. Manager Shelley Waguespack has numerous concerns as she decides when and how to reopen.

She’s hoping the state Legislature will address one concern – liability. She said she worries about getting sued if someone who visits the bar later comes down with COVID-19.

She’s also unhappy about the limits on live music. “We wanted to put a piano player on the patio,” Waguespack said. “We thought that would have been lovely.”

Workers are preparing the Eiffel Tower to reopen next week after the coronavirus pandemic led to the iconic Paris landmark’s longest closure since World War II. But as France’s tourism industry starts back up in earnest, the 324-meter-tall wrought-iron tower won’t immediately welcome visitors in the way it did before the country’s virus lockdown.

The number of people allowed in will be limited when the Eiffel Tower opens again on June 25. Elevators to the top will be out of service, and only the first and second floors accessible to the public. Individuals interested in combining sightseeing and workouts will be in luck.

Everyone over age 11 will be required to wear face masks, while crowd control measures will be in place, according to the tower’s management. Tourists planning trips to the City of Light are advised to book tickets to see the Eiffel Tower online. The online ticket office is set to open Thursday.

Paris tourism officials have expressed muted optimism about the city’s reemergence as a travel destination following France’s nationwide lockdown that started in March.

“To visit Paris now is quite exceptional, as we of course don’t have many visitors and we don’t expect this summer to be at the same level as previous ones,” said Corinne Menegaux, Paris businesses and tourism office director.

Officials have said that tourism levels have dropped by around 80% compared to the same month in previous years.

But they are touting the French capital’s charms all the same.

“Let’s also not forget that Paris is one of the greenest cities around so there are plenty of outdoor activities available that can be done with families,” Menegaux said.