CTO News

St. Kitts & Nevis Open Only to Fully Vaccinated Travelers Effective May 29

Basseterre, St. Kitts (May 26, 2021) – The Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris announced last evening that based on the cluster of 16 new cases of COVID-19, the first of which was reported on May 19, 2019, involving a national with no travel history, the Government would immediately enact a series of initiatives in an effort to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Currently, the Federation has a total number of 61 confirmed COVID -19 cases with 45 cases fully recovered and zero deaths. The 16 new patients are stable and are being monitored. While the extensive contact tracing proceeds, new travel requirements for International Travelers were announced:

1. Effective May 29, 2021, only fully vaccinated travelers will be allowed entry into St. Kitts & Nevis. Exemptions for Citizens and Residents.
2. With the summer family travel season beginning considerations have been made for families traveling with children. The following will apply to non-vaccinated children under 18:

• Non-vaccinated children under 18 traveling with fully vaccinated parents are welcome.
• If the family is staying 9 days or less, the current Vacation in Place guidelines apply.
• If the family is staying 10 days or more, the parents and the child will have to Vacation in Place until day 14 when the child will be tested.
• Vaccinated parents traveling with a non-vaccinated child will not be allowed to integrate into the Federation until after the child is tested on day 14 and the test results come back negative.

3. A curfew was imposed from 11p.m. to 5a.m. daily, starting May 25 for 14-days.

Below are the travel requirements for fully vaccinated travelers. The previously announced travel requirements for non-vaccinated travelers are null and void.

(a) A traveler is considered fully vaccinated when two weeks have passed since receiving their second dose of a two dose vaccine series (Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna or AstraZeneca/Oxford) or two weeks after they have received a single dose vaccine (Johnson + Johnson). The traveler’s official COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card will be accepted as proof.

(b) Traveler must complete the Travel Authorization Form on the national website (knatravelform.kn). Once the Travel Authorization Form is completed, the traveler must submit a copy of their official Vaccination Card (back and front scan). The vaccination card must be sent for verification via email or WhatsApp. The date of arrival and the KN number generated on their completed KNA travel form must be included.

1. 1. Vaccination Record cards may be submitted via one of two methods:
      • WhatsApp Phone Numbers – 869-762-0238 or 869-765-4880
      • Email – officeofcmo@gov.kn, Subject line: Vaccination Card
   2. Upon review, the Chef Medical Officer will email the acceptance status of the traveler’s vaccination card.

(c) Upon submission of a completed KNA travel form and approval of their vaccination card, the traveler must upload their official COVID-19 RT-PCR negative test result from a CLIA/CDC/UKAS approved lab accredited with ISO/IEC 17025 standard taken 72 hours prior to travel. There are no exceptions to the 72-hour timeframe.

(d) Upon receipt of the copy of the COVID -19 RT-PCR test negative result and their official vaccination card, the traveler’s information will be reviewed, and they will receive the approval letter to enter the Federation.

(e) For their trip, the traveler should bring a copy of the negative COVID- 19 RT-PCR test and their COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card as proof of completion of their vaccination. Please note, acceptable COVID-19 PCR tests must be taken by nasopharyngeal sample. Self-samples, rapid tests, or home tests will be considered invalid.

(f) Travelers will undergo a health screening at the airport which includes a temperature check and a health questionnaire. Upon arrival, if a fully vaccinated traveler is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 during the health screening, they can be required to undergo a RT- PCR test at the airport at their own cost (150 USD).

(g) Fully vaccinated air travelers will be asked to “Vacation in Place” at a Travel Approved hotel for nine (9) days.

(h) All fully vaccinated air travelers are free to move throughout the Travel Approved hotel, interact with other guests and partake in hotel activities only.

(i) Fully vaccinated air travelers staying beyond 9 days are required to be tested on day 9 (USD 150 visitors’ cost) of their stay and once their test is negative, they may integrate into the Federation participating in tours, attractions, restaurants, beach bars, retail shopping, etc.

(j) Effective May 1, 2021 fully vaccinated air travelers are not required to submit an exit RT-PCR test. If a pre-departure test is still required for the country of destination, the RT-PCR test will be taken 72 hours prior to departure. Example: If a person is staying 7 days, their pre-departure test will be on day 4; if a person is staying 14 days, their pre-departure test will be taken on day 11.

(k) Travel Approved hotels for international travelers are:

• Four Seasons
• Golden Rock Inn
• Marriott Vacation Beach Club
• Montpelier Plantation & Beach
• Paradise Beach
• Park Hyatt
• Royal St. Kitts Hotel

International travelers who would like to stay at private rental home or condo must stay at a property that has been pre-approved as a quarantine housing at their own cost, including security. Please submit request to info@stkittstourism.kn.

Silver Airways Begins Service to Anguilla on June 2, 2021

The Valley, Anguilla, May 25, 2021: The Anguilla Tourist Board is pleased to announce that Silver Airways will commence service from San Juan to Anguilla on Friday, June 2^nd, 2021.  The summer flights will operate twice weekly between the Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico and the Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport in Anguilla through August 6, 2021. Silver Airways is the parent company of Seaborne Airlines. Seaborne has operated in Anguilla for many years.

“I am proud to have been a part of the initial negotiations with Seaborne Airlines in 2014 that culminated in regular service to Anguilla.  We are delighted to welcome Silver Airways to Anguilla after this lengthy hiatus caused by the pandemic,” said the Hon. Minister of Tourism, Mr. Haydn Hughes. “Silver/Seaborne has been our valued partner for many years, and the San Juan gateway is vital to the growth of our industry.  Maintaining and expanding access to Anguilla is essential for tourism  development, and the restoration of this service is an important step as we reopen our island to international travelers”, he continued.

“We are honored to service Anguilla, which has long been one of our most popular routes,” declared Captain Steven Dowda, Vice President of Caribbean Operations for Silver Airways and Seaborne Airlines. “Anguilla’s tourism product is exceptional, and our relationship with Anguilla is a strong and mutually beneficial one.  We look forward to working closely with our tourism partners here to grow arrivals to the island and increase service this winter.”

The Silver Airways service will operate twice a week, on Thursdays and Saturdays, with two rotations each day for a total of four flights per week.

On Thursdays, the flight will depart San Juan at 10:30h and arrive in Anguilla at 11:35h. The return flight will leave Anguilla at 12.15h, arriving in San Juan at 13.   On Saturdays, the flight will depart San Juan at 13.20h and arrive in Anguilla at 14.25h.  The return flight departs Anguilla at 14.55h and arrives in San Juan at 16.00h.  All times given are local. Silver’s codeshare agreements facilitate seamless connections with airline partners American Airlines, JetBlue Airways,  Delta, and Copa.

“The Anguilla Tourist Board will be partnering with our stakeholders on island and our travel advisors in-market to promote Silver’s service as an ideal option for traveling to Anguilla,” said Stacey Liburd, Director of Tourism.  “By flying directly into the island, you not only arrive before noon but in 15 minutes you can be exiting the airport and on your way to the beach!  This service makes traveling to Anguilla easy, convenient and affordable.”

For travel information on Anguilla please visit the official website of the Anguilla Tourist Board: www.IvisitAnguilla.com/escape; follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/AnguillaOfficial; Instagram: @Anguilla_Tourism; Twitter: @Anguilla_Trsm, Hashtag: #MyAnguilla.

Nevis Launches New “Around The Garden” Experience

Charlestown, Nevis, May 13, 2021 – Nevis aims to attract travelers interested in culinary and agri-tourism with the introduction of its latest destination experience, the “Around The Garden” tour. Officially launched on May 13, the 5-acre fruit farm in Cades Bay has been developed using a park model where picnic benches, Wi-Fi connectivity and refreshments will be available to guests. The new farm tour will be offered in two tiers, providing visitors with the opportunity to choose either the 40-minute or 60-minute option.

Nevis Tourism Authority CEO Jadine Yarde believes this new attraction showcases another distinct aspect of the destination, one that appeals to the growing culinary tourism market. “Food tourism can play an important role in preserving one’s local heritage; we believe that this latest experience will provide foodies with an ideal opportunity to enjoy our best organic produce and learn about our traditional farming. The tour will also help us to support and promote our local agriculture and communities, and position Nevis as a destination focused on long-term food security and sustainability.”

The “Around the Garden” tour will be conducted twice weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays, and is now available for booking at Email: aroundthegardentour@gmail.com, with a five-person minimum for each tour. Special group tours can also be arranged on request. Guests are encouraged to dress comfortably so they can enjoy the full farm experience, which includes tasting the wide variety of in-season fruits — starfruit, passion fruit, watermelon, pineapple — and of course, mangoes, the island favorite.

“The Department of Agriculture is excited to make our farm available for the education and leisurely experience of both locals and visitors alike,” stated Floyd Liburd, Deputy Director of Agriculture. “We believe that persons should be able to know and understand how food is produced.  The experience also invites guests to sample the fruits in different ways, e.g.  freshly picked, blended into smoothies, as a refreshing beverage, brewed in hot teas and other local delicacies.”

Today’s travelers are seeking experiential and educational experiences; the Cades Bay Farm offers visitors a fascinating window into the cultivation as well as the nutritional aspects of the various fruits grown on the farm.

Culinary pursuits are an important component of the visitor experience in any destination. The global culinary tourism market was valued at $1.116 billion in 2019 and by 2027 it is expected to have a market value of $1.796 billion, which signifies an annualized growth rate of 16.8%.

For travel and tourism information on Nevis please visit the Nevis Tourism Authority website at  www.nevisisland.com; and follow us on Instagram (@nevisnaturally), Facebook (@nevisnaturally), YouTube (nevisnaturally) and Twitter (@Nevisnaturally).

Belize Removes Use of the Belize Travel Health App Prior to Arrival

Belize City, Belize, May 11, 2021 –– The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) advises that the Government of Belize has taken a decision that travellers entering the country are no longer required to download and complete the Belize Travel Health App prior to arrival in Belize. This recent adjustment to Belize’s COVID-19 Prevention Regulations is outlined in Statutory Instrument No.51 of 2021.

Belize still requires that travellers provide either proof of full COVID-19 immunization received at least 2 weeks prior to arrival, or a negative COVID-19 PCR TEST taken within 96 hours of travel, or a negative rapid test (Rapid Antigen, Sofia, SD Biosensor, and ABBOTT) taken within 48 hours of travel. In addition, international tourists must book at a Gold Standard hotel and present confirmation at immigration.

For up to date information on the destination’s travel protocols and frequently asked questions, please visit: https://www.travelbelize.org/health-safety.