Following rising demand for Caribbean holidays this summer, as well as Jamaica being on the UK list of quarantine-free countries, many airlines from the UK have restarted operations to the region.
British Airways resumed flights from London Gatwick to Kingston Norman-Manley Airport on July 20, and will be flying between twice a week. Additionally, several hotels which are reopening now or have already reopened at Negril and Montego Bay. Tui Airways will resume operations from September 2 and September 5. Tui Airways will fly from London Gatwick and Manchester. Virgin Atlantic will be restarting services with a new airplane A330, and will be flying every Tuesday and Friday, from London Heathrow to Montego Bay, from October 2. After October 25, it will fly on Sundays too. The schedule will undergo an overhaul from March 20, 2021; when it starts flying every Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Travel agents
The JTB reported a 66% drop in revenue for this year, so it is putting the focus on promotion across the travel trade, such as social media campaigns to promote food, music and culture, as well as yoga sessions, online DJ sets and recipes from chefs. The social media campaigns such as #EscapetoJamaica and #RediscoverJamaica have proven popular with online viewers. There are 10-minute webinars for travel agents who want to increase their destination knowledge, as well as new terms and incentives for the Jamaica Rewards Programme in the pipeline. The tourism board has successfully held virtual fam trips in the past and intends to plan more in the coming months. Meanwhile, there will be virtual sales calls to agents as this year?s sales meetings in London, Manchester and Birmingham have been postponed to 2021.
Travel Authorisation Pass
In general, any person who wants to travel to Jamaica will need a Travel Authorisation Pass, which can be obtained from the https://www.visitjamaica.com/travelauthorization/website, at least five days prior to the departure. This includes proof of a negative COVID-19 test, as well as answering a series of health questions. Prospective travellers will have to specify the purpose of their visit and, once approved, will receive a downloadable authorisation pass. Business travellers are not required to upload a negative result as they will be tested on arrival.
On arrival, visitors will undergo a health screening, which may include a COVID-19 test if they have arrived from a high-risk area or are exhibiting symptoms. If a positive test is recorded, they will be isolated for further medical care, and if they test negative, they will be allowed to stay in the hotel with a Stay in Zone Order.
Donovan White, Jamaica?s director of tourism said. ?Health and safety are paramount as we reopen our tourist industry on a phased basis. Risk assessment is an important part of preventing further spread of COVID-19 and ensuring that our visitors and residents stay safe. We have developed and are implementing procedures throughout the visitor journey, that ensure a seamless process so they are able to enjoy what our island and its people have to offer.?
Airport protocols
The Airport Authority of Jamaica has established its own set of guidelines to prevent the spread of the pandemic. In addition to the regular guidelines, such as temperature screening, wearing of masks, maintaining social distancing and introduction of plexi-glass shields at service counters, there will be print and audio announcements for COVID-19 sensitisation, sanitisation of baggage trolleys after every use, frequent cleaning and disinfecting of air conditioners used in terminals and the use of contactless card readers for commercial transactions and authorised taxis only. Capacity control has been introduced at the airport, limiting the presence of people who are cabin crew, passengers or people with authorised business only. People travelling from the Jamaica airport will be allowed pre-packed meal in flight, while at the departure counter only single use/disposable items will be preferred. The departure lounge will be reconfigured to allow physical distancing.
Hotel protocols
Some of the hotels and resorts which have reopened at Negril include Azul Beach Resort, Beaches Negril, Club Hotel RIU Negril, Couples Negril & Swept Away, Hedonism II, RIU Palace Tropical Bay, Rondel Village, Royalton Resorts, Sandals Resorts, Sunset at the Palms and Tensing Pen. The Caveshas been scheduled to reopen on August 20. The resorts at Montego will be reopening in phases. Though quite a few, such as Hilton Rose Hall, Hyatt Resorts, Iberostar Beach, Jewel Grande, Ocean Coral Spring and Ocean Eden Bay, Palladium Resorts and others are already open, some that have scheduled their reopening a little later, such us Secrets Wild Orchid on August 1, Iberostar Grand, Breathless and Zoetry Montego Bay on October 1, RIU Montego Bay on December 15 and Secrets St James on December 18. Half Moon will be open on weekends only.
Hotels with more than a 100 rooms, will need to appoint an employee as the COVID-19 Safety Point Person (SPP) who must be specifically trained to conduct regular spot checks to make sure all the health and safety protocols are being carried out properly, as well as dealing with guest complaints.
Bigger properties will need a Health and Safety Risk Committee of five members, and an additional member, for additional 100 rooms, to oversee and evaluate the various protocols and gather information from employees for review and discussion. These include temperature control checks, extensive hand sanitising provision, masks for all staff, single use paper towels and napkins, and adequate signage with health information. Guests must also be provided with a journey map and health protocol information on check-in, and hotels should use digital key cards rather than traditional keys.
There should be a provision for an isolation room or onsite medical professional facility for those, who exhibit symptoms or are suspected to have contracted COVID-19, while during their stay, with hotels required to report suspected COVID-19 cases or contact with persons who tested positive for coronavirus to the ministry of health within 2-3 hours.
The lobbies and common areas should maintain 70% occupancy, with a space of 113 sq feet per person and 6 feet physical distance between tables, chairs or benches. Self-service refreshments such as water, coffee, tea, and reading materials, such as books and magazines will be removed from the reception areas. Common area furniture and touch points, such as lift buttons, are required to be sanitised every 60-90 minutes and occupancy of lifts and golf carts has been halved. Fitness centre showers are closed, with guests being required to use the facilities in their hotel rooms.
In food and beverage outlets, menus should be made available on a digital interface or social media page, with information for links and complimentary Wi-Fi shared at the entrance. If digital options are not available, hotels can use disposable printed menus. Only those social and cultural activities will be allowed, which can be accomplished from a distance of six feet. For Karaoke performances, microphones will need to be sanitised before each use.
Pool and beach numbers will be limited, poolside furniture will be socially distanced and hand-washing protocols will be in place. Water sports equipment and commonly touched surfaces, such as handrails, will be sanitised after each use. Pool games for kids should be discontinued. Lifeguards will need to update their life saving procedures for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and wear face buffs instead of masks. Used towels should be collected in a no-touch towel return, with the information of the person who had rented it clearly marked.
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