Relief as Jamaica remains on UK's amber travel list
Published:Thursday | August 26, 2021 | 8:33 PM
Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Despite a rapid increase in COVID cases and deaths, Jamaica remains on the 'amber list' for travellers to the United Kingdom.
It's a welcome announcement for Jamaica's tourism stakeholders.
Being on the amber list means fewer restrictions for travellers from Jamaica as opposed to countries on the red list who must go into 10-day quarantine at a cost of 2,000 British pounds for a hotel stay.
In June, the UK introduced the traffic light system (green, amber, red) for travellers entering its borders.
Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett said Jamaica's resilient corridor programme has influenced its continued placement on the amber list.
The resilient corridor is the zoning and containment of the movement of visitors vacationing in Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Negril, the south coast and Portland.
The resorts, restaurants, villas, attractions, shopping centres, craft merchants and transportation operators within the corridor are COVID-19-protocol certified.
"The corridor played a vital role in the determination of Jamaica as a safe, secure and seamless destination,” Bartlett told The Gleaner.
Bartlett tagged the corridor as the most credible, tourist region in any destination in the Caribbean, with a proven track record of very low infection and very strong compliance with the COVID protocols.
Jamaica Hotel and Tourist and Association (JHTA) president Clifton Reader said the resilient corridor was a clear example of the industry's commitment to providing the best possible protection against the COVID virus.
According to him, the area has had excellent results to date and international partners have recognised the efforts.
The JHTA boss said Jamaica will continue to do everything to support the health authorities in reducing the incidence of COVID in Jamaica.
There was anxiety that Jamaica could have been placed on the dreaded red list after a number of tour operators and travel agents started cancelling current and forward bookings.
JHTA member, Kerry-Ann Quallo-Casserly, regional director of sales, Blue Diamond Resorts, Jamaica, said their Royalton properties will continue to do business with minimum cancellations from the source market for the next seven days.
“We are cautiously optimistic of the recovery of the hospitality sector for the months of September and October, however, on our books we are pacing ahead of two years prior to the summer, fall and winter 2021/22,” she said.
According to the regional director, the United States, Canada and the UK, markets were all pacing ahead of last year.
As at Wednesday, Jamaica had 14,528 active COVID cases and 1,453 deaths.
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