Global Tourism Resilience Centre will launch the Jamaica Cares Traveller Protection and Services Programme next month, which aims to boost traveller confidence and a return to tourism.
The programme provides visitors access to ?A? grade traveller protection and emergency medical and crisis response services, for events including COVID-19 and natural disasters.
The traveller protection and services programme is a partnership coordinated and administered by the Global Tourism Resilience Crisis Management Centre, with support from the Global Travel and Tourism Resilience Council, Global Rescue, and leading international and national insurance companies.
For a compulsory fee of US$40 Jamaica Cares provides visitors access to compulsory traveller protection and emergency medical services, including case management, transport logistics, field rescue, evacuation and repatriation for medical emergencies, including COVID-19, and other crises.
The services also include international health coverage up to US$100,000 for visitors travelling to and from Jamaica and health coverage of up to US$50,000 on island.
Jamaica Cares sets combines Global Rescue?s emergency services with domestic and international travel medical insurance, so that visitors can have the peace of mind, while visiting that their health, well-being and finances are protected.
Tourists will be provided with an information package and emergency contact details as they conclude their application for permission to travel to Jamaica. The compulsory fee will be included as a part of the country?s Travel Authorization application on visitjamaica.com, which will automatically include travellers into the Jamaica Cares programme. The participation is mandatory for all non-Jamaican passport holders.
Edmund Bartlett, co-chairman and founder of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre, said, ?Jamaica Cares is a comprehensive, mandatory program that delivers traveller protection from the time they leave home until returning. It is a revolutionary and ground-breaking initiative authored and driven by the GTRCMC that will safeguard and protect the Jamaican tourist product and citizens of Jamaica.?
Traveller attitudes show a willingness to pay for increased safety protection during travel. A Global Rescue survey of more than 2,200 frequent travellers found that they agreed by wide margins (more than 90%) and also revealed travellers would feel safer if they ? and all travellers ? had services and protections for medical emergencies, including COVID-19, and door-to-door travel insurance.
Image credit: Adobe Stock/ Irina Schmidt
