Antigua and Barbuda welcomes vaccinated visitors

View of Falmouth Harbour Marina and including Antigua Yacht Club Marina © ABMA

With the impending start of the 2022 yachting season, the Antigua and Barbuda Marine Association (ABMA) and its members are looking forward to welcoming visitors safely to its shores.

President of the Association, Franklyn Braithwaite says, "All indications are that this coming yachting season will be a bumper one. Events are optimistic that they can take place with all protocols observed. The Antigua Yacht Show, The Superyacht Challenge, the RORC Caribbean 600 and Antigua Sailing Week already have excellent responses in terms of expressions of interest and entries and marinas are reporting that dock reservations are flooding in.'

From October 1st, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda has issued a new travel advisory that all incoming passengers to the twin-island state must be vaccinated. The advisory also changes testing requirements to a Covid RT -PCR test taken within four (4) days of their flight or from their date of setting sail.

The island is currently under additional restrictions which have been created in part to allow non-vaccinated front line workers time to get vaccinated prior to a new vaccine mandate also beginning 1st October. The mandate requires all front-line workers in the tourism industry as well as Government workers to be vaccinated.

Minster of Tourism, the Honourable Charles Fernandez states, 'My Government is desirous of remaining open and welcoming to visitors to our shores and we have therefore implemented a vaccine mandate to ensure the safety of our people. Putting the current temporary restrictions into place now while our visitor numbers are at the lowest in the year, allows us to be ready for our main tourism season.'

As we move towards the start of the season updated travel advisories and any updates to protocol and/or restrictions can be found on the ABMA website.