NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper said yesterday that the removal of COVID-19 testing requirements for entry into a country is “the way the world is going”, noting that the issue of whether to eliminate this nation’s testing requirements was to be considered by Cabinet yesterday.
Cooper, the Minister of Tourism, Aviation and Investment said: “That’s the way the world is going. I was in London the other day and there are few remaining COVID protocols; certainly not any that are mandated. We are seeing many other countries going this way. We are not particularly surprised that the US has dropped their testing requirements for entry.
“We think that is going to be an overall positive for tourism. We have already received a lot of inquiries from stakeholders on if and when we will follow. As the Minister of Tourism I can tell you that the less friction there is for tourists coming to our shores it will be positive for our overall tourism numbers. This of course is a decision that must be taken deliberately, one that the Cabinet will decide on (today). We have to consider what’s good for the economy and public health, that’s the position I have always taken.”
The US announced last week that it would end the requirement for travelers entering the US to present a COVID-19 rapid antigen test. Local tourism executives have called on the government to end its required testing policy for travelers entering The Bahamas.
Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) President Robert Sands said in a statement, calling the testing a “friction point” for travelers. Sands said in his statement that as countries continue to drop their testing requirements, The Bahamas cannot be the “last man standing” in that regard.
Cooper noted that Bahamians traveling abroad often find it very difficult to obtain a test on a timely basis.
“I’ve gotten calls from people even in Florida and to my surprise that they cannot find a testing location or they tested but don’t have their result in time for their flight,” he said.
“Bahamians are travelers and we go everywhere. I get calls from Bahamians from some places I hadn’t heard about before. The reality is that the US itself is a big place and as the requirement for testing is reduced around the world we expect that there would be less and less testing centers. There is going to be an ongoing logistical challenge.”
Cooper said that given the competitive nature of tourism, there is concern that travelers may opt to go to other destinations with easier entry requirements.
“We want the impulse traveler who wakes up in the morning and flies to Exuma for lunch to be able to do so. That is one of the benefits of our proximity and we have benefited significantly as a result and their requirements force there to be a longer preparation time.”
