Canada is set to ease its travel and testing rules in less than 48 hours, but the country’s chief public health officer is suggesting the government will throw things into reverse if needed. The Edmonton Journal and Canadian Press report that Dr. Theresa Tam on Friday (Feb. 25) said that nobody knows what the coronavirus will do next, and that Canada has to be ready to bring back some public health measures if case counts begin to rise sharply again. Noting that viruses often pick up steam when cool weather arrives, Tam said Canada needs be ready for the fall, Read more
travel restrictions
Starting today (Feb. 28), fully vaccinated travellers no longer have to take a PCR-style test to enter Canada. Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos last week announced that travellers will still be required to take a pre-arrival test before entering Canada. But the Trudeau government now will allow fully vaccinated Canadians and foreign visitors to provide results from a rapid antigen test, which can be purchased more easily than PCR or molecular-style tests, and are a fraction of the cost. The government initially said rapid tests will have to be taken with 24 hours of a scheduled departure to Canada or Read more
Jamaica lovers, rejoice. Effective March 1, 2022, international visitors to Jamaica will no longer be required to obtain travel authorization to enter the island. Travellers 12 years of age and older will only need to provide a negative result from a COVID-19 Antigen or PCR test conducted within 72 hours prior to their travel. Additionally, travellers to Jamaica will no longer face travel-related quarantine measures. “Eliminating travel-related quarantines and the need for travellers to fill out and receive approval of the Travel Authorization form are key steps in relaxing our travel protocols as the global spread of COVID-19 declines,” said Read more
It’s been a tough couple years, but St. Kitts and Nevis are poised to bounce back in a big way. Visitors are being welcomed, a range of activities are available, and most hotels are open, Ellison “Tommy”Thompson, CEO of the St. Kitts Tourism Authority, said in a Zoom chat this week. Thompson formerly worked in tourism in The Bahamas and just came to his new role in January, so he’s looking at St. Kitts with fresh eyes. “We see St. Kitts as a real fun, adventure place,” Thompson told me. “There’s quite a lot to do here. We’re also targeting Read more
Nine in ten American travelers intend to travel during the next six months. According to the latest Longwoods International tracking study of American travelers, trip intentions remain strong, with 90% planning to travel during the next six months. Thirty-nine percent of travelers have their next trip planned in the next 60 days, setting up for a strong Spring Break travel season. Equally encouraging, seven in ten travelers now feel safe traveling outside their community, with this result now reaching pre-Omicron levels. “Spring and summer travel look strong for 2022,” said Amir Eylon, President and CEO of Longwoods International. “With COVID-19 Read more
