Canadian tour operators and airlines have given Jamaica a big vote of confidence for the coming winter, committing 258,000 seats to the destination, over 80% of the 305,000 seats offered in pre-pandemic 2019.
The popular destination was one of the first to welcome tourists back on June 15, 2020. It has kept its borders open continuously since that date through an innovative approach called the "resilient corridor."
The corridor is a demarcated "bubble" enabling Jamaica to manage and trace the movement of tourists along the stretch of highway from Negril through Port Antonio on the northern coast of the island. Within that space, says Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett, lies 85% of the nation's tourism experiences. New corridors have also recently been added along the south coast.
Jamaica continues to see high levels of COVID transmission outside of the corridors. On September 9, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control raised its warning for the destination to 'Level 4 - Do Not Travel.' But that designation is based on case counts per 100,000 citizens, and doesn't reflect the success of the tourism-dependent island's efforts to balance - as Bartlett puts it - "lives and livelihoods."
TravelPulse Canada met with Bartlett, Director of Tourism Donovan White, Senior Tourism Strategist Delano Seiveright and Jamaica Tourist Board Regional Director Canada Angella Bennett last week, as they completed a series of visits with tour operators, airlines, travel advisors and media in the U.S and Canada.
The officials proudly pointed out that since reopening last June, the COVID positivity level within the tourism corridor has been less than 1%. The island has welcomed more than a million visitors during that time, and brought in over US$1 billion in revenue. Bartlett says that translates into bringing 60,000 Jamaicans back to work.
"Managing during uncertainty is a daunting assignment," Bartlett said. "But we've been guided by science and data. The resilient corridor is a tool we're extremely proud of. Things could have been better, but I suspect the converse is also true."
Extensive training and vaccination for workers, supply of personal protective equipment, contact tracing systems and limited curfews have all played a role in protecting both visitors and Jamaicans during the nearly 16 months since the island's borders reopened.
To get a sense of how that translates to the visitor experience, TravelPulse Canada spoke with Sonya Thomas, an independent agent with The Travel Agent Next Door and a big fan of Jamaica's tourism product. Thomas visited the island in for a week in September 2020, then returned for two weeks in August and September of this year.
"The protocols were amazing," Thomas says. "I felt more comfortable than in my own country."
From the airport to the resort, Thomas says extensive protocols were in place, including mandatory masks during transit, sanitation of luggage, temperature checks, rooms that were sanitized and sealed prior to the guests' arrival, and staff-served buffets.
"I feel very confident in selling Jamaica. They're taking everything very seriously," Thomas said.
She does have some concerns going forward, citing the extensive use of QR codes to access restaurant menus and other services, which can be intimidating, especially for the senior travellers who make up much of her client base.
Another worry is the cost of PCR tests that Canadians require to return home. Thomas says they can be upwards of US$100 per person at Jamaican resorts, a potential impediment for travellers on a budget. The pre-trip antigen test costs about $40 in Canada.
Jamaica's current entry protocols, regardless of vaccination status, require the completion of an online travel authorization form within seven days of travel date, proof of a PCR or antigen test taken within three days of arrival and proof of accommodations within the "Resilient Corridors" along the north and south coasts. To return to Canada, a negative PCR test must be produced, taken within 72 hours of arrival.
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