Tourism: Further streamlining of entry protocols being assessed
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Tourism director general Joy Jibrilu yesterday American Airlines has decided to scrap its pre-flight COVID-19 tests on passengers to this destination.
Jibrilu said tourism and health officials are looking to see how entry protocols can be streamlined even further to allow for a better visitor experience during the Exuma Business Outlook.
“We are seeking to streamline entry protocols that will allow visitors to better enjoy the Bahamian vacation experience,” she said.
While the 14-day quarantine requirement has been scrapped, she underscored visitors will still be required to have a health visa, and a negative RT-PCR test no more than seven days prior to their travel.
According to Jibrilu, if a visitor arrives in The Bahamas and tests positive but is asymptomatic, they will be allowed to quarantine in place and a per diem will be paid.
“If the person is asymptomatic but has comorbidities, they will have the opportunity to be medevaced out of the jurisdiction and likewise if they present with symptoms.”
The health travel visa inclusive of a five-day rapid antigen test and mandatory health insurance will cost $55 for visitors staying up to four nights and five days, with the same cost for citizens and returning residents.
For visitors staying more than four nights and five days, the cost will be $80.
The visa is free for children tens years old and under, although they will still be covered by the travel health insurance.
In late September, American Airline announced that it was introducing pre-flight COVID-19 tests on passengers to The Bahamas.
The airline said at the time that the move was part of an ongoing effort to help protect customer health and safety, inspire confidence in air travel, and advance the industry’s recovery from the (COVID-19) pandemic.
Jibrilu revealed yesterday that the airline had recently told tourism officials that it had to abandon the decision.
“We were so very excited when American Airlines made the announcement for rapid antigen testing,” she said.
“Last week in trying to marry the details and the travel health visa they shared the news that they could never have imagined the complexity of putting such a system in place.”
According to Jibrilu, the airline determined that implementing the test pre-flight was cost-prohibitive and not something they could logistically manage at this time.
Still, Jibrilu said that discussions were being held by the likes of the UN World Tourism Organization and The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) on a similar proposal.
And once again, no weblink is given for the health visa application, etc gor guests who are reading our news to decide if they will come here to spend money or go to the Florida Cays, Domina, Mexico, etc
The visa website is changing anyway on Nov. 1 to include the payment process.
Eighty dollars a piece for a family of 5 is another $400, plus departurre fee for all of $30 each ($150) totals $550 – Florida Keys would get my vote.
If they are positive they should be on the next thing smoking back to their country of origin. The persons who come here (98 precent) have no respect for Bahamian regulations or laws. The check in or quarantine clauses are a joke.
So, why are we entertaining such a proposal. We cannot deal with our testing and tracing for our own citizens/ residents, why should we burden ourself with this ordeal.
Is it the global standards for all persons travell on a commercial airline to produce COVID negative pass in order to board a plane?
Then, why are we compromizes our standards just to get a few visitirs, and then we end up with a national disaster on our hands, that we are ill equipped to handle.
Please tell me, why is it that we always feel that we must sell our selves short.
Please this is no time for us to be compromizing. The lives of our peopke are at risk, and it is high time that we show the world that we have some kind of backbone. After eight (8) months of COVID 19, we haven’t learn that we cannot afford to operate as “business as usual!!!”
It’s time we invest in our own for a change, rather than the rich white foreigner!!!
A plan should already been put in place to divetsify our encomy. As God asked Moses: “What is it you have in your hands?”
The long and short is this: If visitors are unable to produce a COVID19 negivate pass @ the immigration port, then they should be denied entry. Plain and simple. There should be no debate.
So Bahamians can’t eat, but we paying tourists to visit us??? WTHFIT?!?
Who paying tourists to visit? They are the ones taking a minimum of two tests and spending almost $100 just to do so to get here.
Meanwhile anytime we have a lockdown, we all go fleeing to one of the family islands.
It isn’t perfect but it’s better than what we have been doing to ourselves.
The Dominican Republic is a much better destination without the hassle and headach of such an Incompetent government. By the way it’s a much better value. Factor in all the cost you just said the flight is a few dollars more but everything is far cheaper. It’s a better vacation.
Read. Jibrilu says we are paying them a per diem if they have to quarantine, for the duration of their quarantine. Almost certain to be in excess of $100 PER DAY. And if they choose instead to be evacuated, who’s paying for the medevac? Ergo, Bahamians are now paying tourists to visit The Bahamas… more actually, since we were always subsidizing airlines and cruise lines to get ‘heads in beds’.
Really !!! People please American Airlines didn’t just ( poof ) change their plans and decided not to continue with their agenda. As always we sell ourselves. Going to a meeting on our knees. So pitiful
American Airline had to do away with the rapid test in respond to the PM srating that you need to have a Pcr test before arrival. Or is that only for Bahamiams?
I have been going to Eleuthera 30 years and this plandrmic has destroyed tourism and the ability for many people to make a living. The idiot that made the statement to abandon the WHITE FOREIGNER is a raciest idiot! Almost all the islands live and thrive on tourism to exist.Don’t make the cause worst than the cure.If the tourist are tested properly they need to be there to support the island.I was Just there recently,there problem was not the tourist it was some of the younger spreaders not following the rules?Then to bring GOD into his statement,by the way GOD DOES NOT DIFFERENTIATE HIS CHILDREN BY COLOR??♂️?
Don’t be a Raciest Idiot! And oh by the way GODS children of of are of all colors.The Bahamas islands exist because of Tourism and the WHITE FOREIGNERS who own vacation homes there who create jobs!
That was my thought as well. Per Diem for what?
Why are we always the scape goat for nonsense