Cayman's vaccine rollout is progressing fast, but even that may not be enough to quickly reach the targets currently set for a border reopening.

Cayman Airways has released its repatriation flight schedule for May, which includes two flights a weeks to and from Miami, one flight every Friday to and from Kingston and two flights a month to and from La Ceiba.

Cayman’s Global Citizen Concierge programme has netted KYD $142,154 in application fees since it began last October, according to statistics from the Department of Tourism.

Members of the private-sector tourism industry are continuing to meet with government officials to address how Cayman's borders can safely reopen.

Once Cayman's borders reopen, the islands are unlikely to welcome back the large numbers of cruise tourists seen in recent years, and if cruise ships do return, numbers are likely to be capped, Premier Alden McLaughlin stated on Tuesday.

Premier Alden McLaughlin says if Cayman's COVID-19 vaccination rate continues at its current pace, the islands' borders could reopen by late April or early May.

Cayman Islands Tourism Association President Marc Langevin says he is optimistic that lines of communication between his organisation and the government are opening up.

Cayman’s current quarantine and testing requirements will remain in place until 90% of the islands' over-60 population has been vaccinated against COVID-19, Premier Alden McLaughlin announced on Thursday.

Cayman's March border reopening appears to be off the table, according to Premier Alden McLaughlin, who said government has no timeline when it comes to unlocking Cayman’s borders.

A new boutique hotel and luxury yachting marina are among a number of possible projects in the pipeline for Cayman Brac, according to Sister Islands MP Moses Kirkconnell.

As of this week, 54 people who have been approved to work remotely in the Cayman Islands under the Global Citizen Concierge Programme are currently residing on island.

Displaced tourism workers will have another opportunity to sign up for government's temporary stipend when a new round of registration begins Tuesday, 26 Jan., the Ministry of Tourism announced Friday.

Those travelling from the Cayman Islands to the United Kingdom will now be required to isolate as Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that the UK will be suspending its travel corridor initiative from Monday, 18 Jan.

Starting Thursday, Cayman will require a negative COVID-19 test from all travellers 72 hours prior to entry, a move that has triggered changes in travel plans for some and concern for others.

The Cayman Islands Tourism Association is urging all its members, particularly their frontline workers, to be vaccinated as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is rolled out locally.

In his annual New Year message, Premier Alden McLaughlin was optimistic that Cayman could reopen its borders in March.

While Cayman Islands Tourism Association president Marc Langevin welcomes the planned roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines in the Cayman Islands, he does not see it as a “silver bullet” for the reopening of local borders.

Although being vaccinated against COVID-19 will form part of Cayman's new border-entry protocols in the new year, the inoculation will not be mandatory.

John Hazard is calling it a day after five years at the helm of the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach resort, doing so with a heavy heart and some frustration fuelled by the continuing closure of Cayman’s borders.

Cayman will be rolling out a mass inoculation campaign starting early January once COVID-19 vaccines arrive on local shores, Premier Alden McLaughlin said.

The Westin resort has laid off just over half of its staff amid the continued impact of the coronavirus on tourism in the Cayman Islands.

Cayman’s tourism leaders believe the island could see around 25% of visitors return by Easter of next year - if the right policies are put in place.