We do not have to kill tourism

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I agree with Dean Burrowes’ comments in his letter in The Gleaner, titled ‘Tourism needs a lifeline’, on August 17, 2020. Although travel restrictions are in line with most islands, Jamaican restrictions go further. I think some should be eased to help attractions and tourism in general. As of August 20, all visitors from the United States (and a few other countries) must upload a COVID-19 test taken within 10 days of their trip. This includes short-stay business travellers. Presumably, all will be tested again on arrival. Visitors must remain in their hotels (even if they test negative). If results are sent by email, couldn’t visitors use their negative tests to book tours within the Resilient Corridor? The key is to reinforce protocols on the ground for safety: masks, sanitising, distancing, and signage.

In Barbados, visitors outside the ‘bubble’ are required to travel with a COVID-19 PCR test taken 72 hours prior to travel. Visitors who arrive without the test are tested at the airport and quarantined. Barbados offers visitors the option to stay in Barbados for a year on a special visa to work remotely. I thought that was brilliant. Prior to the update on Jamaica’s travel restrictions, a friend visited Jamaica and paid a lot for a tour to Dunn’s River Falls from the hotel. He had to book the entire bus for a family of four as no other persons were allowed on the bus. It seems odd that a tour bus cannot block off seats for distancing and that masks can’t be enforced and sanitisers provided. It can be done safely with small groups. I’ve also read that some all-inclusives have been removing fridges from rooms, but a fridge can be wiped down during restocking, which helps to keep guests in rooms.

Although Jamaica rarely issues travel advisories, I think Jamaicans should be warned against non-essential travel at this time, especially to high-risk countries like the US. The bottlenecks at airports due to the extra screening of arriving passengers should be re-examined instead of us feeling good about the number of visitor arrivals; we are still in the midst of a pandemic. Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett says guest feedback gave Jamaica a “fair” rating of the arrival experience; we should strive to improve this. We could restrict the number of flights landing to ensure safety, crowd control, and protocols, as well as the convenience of passengers. We should also consider the new saliva test recently approved in the US; it is reportedly quicker, cheaper, and less invasive. We must continue to follow the data and remain vigilant from all angles. I agree, we can be more creative to find ways to save tourism and, ultimately, the economy.

P. CHIN

chin_p@yahoo.com