After extremely careful and methodical planning, and having the required safety protocols, facilities, expert equipment, training and personnel in place, Anguilla has now reopened its borders and is accepting tourists on the island.
However, they are subject to some stringent protocols to stay in place in quarantine facilities, including the properties where they are guests, until they are safe and free to travel through the community. It has also been arranged for them to travel in what is called “moving bubbles” without going to places where they are not certified to visit – or places that have no certification. Such are the “don’ts and dos” being enforced, that even the Ministry of Health has described them as “iron-clad” –not only for the safety of the tourists themselves, but the Anguillian community which has not had any Covid-19 cases since the only three recovered during the past seven months.
The protocol requirements and the plans to reopen Anguilla and its tourism industry, and other related matters, were the subjects of a Government’s press conference on Friday, October 31. It included Premier Dr. Ellis Webster, Minister of Health; Minster of Tourism and Infrastructure, Mr. Haydn Hughes; Parliamentary Secretary, Tourism and Economic Development, Mrs. Quincia Gumbs-Marie; Permanent Secretary, Health, Mr. Foster Rogers; Chief Medical Officer and Epidemiologist, Dr. Aisha Andrewin; Ms. Andia Ravarierre of the Ministry of Tourism; and Mrs. Shellya Rogers-Webster, Manager of Corporate Affairs with the Anguilla Tourist Board.
During that press conference, Ms. Ravarierre distributed part of her written presentation to the media. It included what activities tourists would be permitted to do in Anguilla and how they would travel on the island.The activities are golf, scuba diving, snorkelling, kayaking, glass bottom boat tours, offshore cays excursions, offshore cays’ private lunch; dining only at Safe Environment Certified restaurants; outdoor yoga, on property fitness hikes, on property fitness activities and the use of beaches – only with the presence of a beach attendant.
The rest of the restrictions are as follows:
• “Only Safe Environment Certified establishments and Safe Environment Approved services/activities will serve visitors in the Guided Movement Period.
• All activities must operate through a booking/reservations system.
• Transfers to and from activities are organised and coordinated by a service provider and the host property.
• All activities must adhere to COVID-19 Protocols, i.e, Social Distancing and Hand Hygiene.
• Activities/service providers Cannot host visitor in Guided Movement; local residents and visitors who are medically clear and are no longer in the Guided Movement Period, simultaneously.
• All activities/services are sold as private packaged services/activities. This means that visitors who did not travel together/not part of a travel group, did not travel as a family, are unable to intermingle during activities – unless otherwise approved by the Chief Medical Officer, if the activity is conducted outdoors and the activity’s protocols presented, prove that 3 ft – 6 ft Social Distancing protocols can be successfully maintained.
• Tour operators of offshore cays activities will do beach pickups where possible. If the location of the property or ground seas do not allow for beach pickups, tour operators must then organise and coordinate the use of a Safe Environment Certified Ground Transport Operator to get guests to a vessel.”
Although the ports of Anguilla have been opened, the normal ferry service from Blowing Point will not be in operation as the port in French St. Martin is still closed. Only charter boats will operate between Blowing Point and the Dutch St. Maarten port.
The Clayton Lloyd International Airport is open for persons travelling to and from Anguilla.
