Local tourism leaders have welcomed changes to government’s COVID-19 regulations, which will see the end of pre-arrival testing and mask mandates starting 30 June.
Cayman Islands Tourism Association President Marc Langevin, speaking with the Cayman Compass from Paris over the weekend, described the new regulations as “wonderful news”.
“The announced changes to ease our regulation by the CIG is another positive step leading to our tourism full recovery, making our destination more attractive for visitors,” he said.
Starting 30 June, travellers will no longer be required to provide a pre-arrival COVID-19 test, nor will they be mandated to wear masks in indoor public areas, according to the new regulations released by government Friday evening.
While incoming passengers will no longer need to provide proof of a negative COVID test, they will still be required to complete a travel declaration form on the Travel Cayman website no less than 72 hours prior to departing for the islands.
Industry remains hopeful
While it is “too late” to impact this summer flight schedule, Langevin said he believes the announcement will assist in rebuilding “the confidence of our business partners who are so instrumental to our success, such as airline companies, travel advisors and meeting planners”.
“We applaud our government, who took such important and critical decisions and encourage them to announce their next step in advance of our winter season to allow the full recovery of our businesses and the wellbeing of so many families associated to our tourism industry,” he added.
Though the tests are to be lifted, the regulations specify that anyone arriving in Cayman with COVID symptoms could be required to be tested and to quarantine until they are no longer infectious, as specified by the Medical Officer of Health.
Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan, in a interview with the Compass Friday night, said the lifting of these restrictions eased “some of the hurdles” facing businesses in the tourism industry and heralded a return to full tourism.
Langevin recognized Bryan, who “took a strong stand and supported the change in regulation so vehemently on our behalf”.
Restaurant Director and CITA Treasurer Marcus Mueri also shared his excitement on the lifting of the testing and mask guidelines.
“This great news for our industry and also for the people of Cayman. Traveling without restriction and to be afraid to test can create hardship. With this out of the picture, families are able to plan ahead for Caymanians and visitors alike,” he said.
The next step is to plan the next 2022/2023 season and “make an incredible impact as the prime destination in the Caribbean,” he said.
Mueri lamented the country losing some loyal clients to other destinations.
However, “we want them back. Cayman is the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean, and we will be No. 1 again. Proud to be part of Cayman,” he declared.
Cayman Ferries co-owner Claire Pettinati also welcomed the lifting of the pre-arrival testing.
“We are thrilled with the government’s recent announcement. The pre-arrival COVID-19 test for incoming travellers has been damaging tourism in the Cayman Islands for too long. After the initial catastrophe of COVID in 2020, the following year of 2021 offered hope with vaccines, and some countries opened up for tourism to restart their economies,” Pettinati said.
She said her ferry service continued to run five days per week, bringing people from North Side and East End to Camana Bay and back again, through use of the private dock at Kaibo marina.
Back when COVID hit, the service suffered, like many other tourism businesses.
However, with the country closer to fully reopening, she said the team at Cayman Ferries is hopeful.
“Many businesses in Cayman rely on the revenue that comes from tourists, to offer special rates and services to the local residents. Those of us who live here have seen so many of these benefits of tourism fall away in the past two years, and it is the right thing to help these businesses recover so that the Cayman Islands can once again become the thriving island that it was in 2019,” she said.
Opposition: Changes a ‘reasonable first step’ to fully reopening
Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart, in a statement Monday, lent his voice to support the new COVID regulations Monday saying they were a “reasonable first step to removing the restrictions on those living in our Islands while also improving the ease for visitors to travel here and help regrow the tourism sector”.
Cayman, he said, like many places will continue to disallow unvaccinated tourists, other than unvaccinated children, from travelling to our Islands, however he suggested a rethink on this position looms.
“As more countries begin to allow entry to unvaccinated travellers, particularly within the North American market, we will also need to revisit this. Tourism cannot return to ‘normal’ levels without us accepting unvaccinated tourists. I do hope that Government will provide all of us with their plans or thinking, including a potential timeline, for removing the remaining restrictions,” he said.
With the further relaxing of regulations McTaggart said more than ever the push for boosters is needed within the community.
“The Government must also seriously redouble its efforts to get boosters in the arms of those who have not yet received them. We have almost 92% of the population fully vaccinated, but only 36% with a booster. And so, I repeat, Government must do much more to encourage those already vaccinated to get a booster and to make it easy to obtain,” he added.
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Dump the Travel Declaration as well.
It is my personal opinion (which means nothing to anyone other than me) that tourism will not completely return until unvaccinated visitors are welcome. We effectively prevent families with unvaccinated children ages 12 – 17 from visiting without quarantine. We also prevent unvaccinated property owners from returning without quarantine. Why not require unvaccinated visitors to present a negative covid test 1 day before arrival? I also wonder at what point we will all be considered unvaccinated? I’m fully supportive of being vaccinated, I’m triple jabbed, with my last shot being in December 2021…but for how long will I qualify as being vaccinated? I do not plan on getting a 4th dose of the same vaccine. If it is reformulated to target the most recent Omicron strain or whatever is the strain of the moment then I will consider it.
Unfortunately, by the time a season or two passes, the older vaccines, having been designed for earlier strains of the virus, will likely be obsolete. It really makes no sense to use antiquated vaccine formulas when the virus is evolving fairly rapidly into strains that those old vaccines do not address. And since it takes so long to develop, get approvals, manufacture, and distribute new ones, we are chasing an evolving target and we are always just a day late and a dollar short in getting ahead of the curve. It is difficult to impossible to pre-design a vaccine formula in anticipation of what strains will evolve, but it is true that caution, hygiene, masks, avoidance of exposure and large crowds may be helpful, but do not expect these to be a perfect preventive.
This is now the second summer that my family and I have not been allowed in your island. We have been coming here every year since my honeymoon in 1984. My family and I spend approximately 2 weeks taking in and lavishly spending money like its going our of style. I am not vaccinated. That’s why. Personal choice, yes, and until your fantastic island changes it mind we can not come back. This has been an unbelievable disappointed since over the years we have made magnificent friends and haven’t been able to enjoy their company. It appears to me that this problem is waning. I hope. Please, eliminate the vaccine requirement. The only next step is to buy a part of your island and make it my second home. Not a bad idea..
Thanks Bob Posterli