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TCI Tourism responds to ‘back-up’ and ‘let-downs’ in Travel Portal approvals, says they’re mostly successful
By Deandrea Hamilton
Editor
#TurksandCaicos, March 29, 2022 – Record setting tourism arrivals for the Turks and Caicos Islands have resulted in a number of congestions for the British Overseas Territory, including at its TCI Assured online travel portal, which was created to vet travellers amidst the on-going Cornavirus Pandemic.
Ministry of Tourism officials, in a Friday March 25 statement obtained by Magnetic Media, informed the applicants have been in the thousands, admitting there have been let downs but mostly success.
“Last weekend alone verifiers approved a little over 12,000 applications (Thursday to Sunday travel). This is double the usual amounts over the weekends.
We have taken steps to reduce the wait time for applications by focusing on next-day travel and bringing in reinforcements when necessary. There is a message passengers receive indicating that we are experiencing a high volume of travel so that there will be a wait as far as approvals are concerned. The majority of travelers receive their intended approvals. The arrival numbers over the past weekend are a testament to this,” said the Ministry last Friday.
Residents and business owners brought the matter to our newsroom. That’s when we enquired about the portal’s
To us, the Ministry of Tourism said what would speed up the process, is if all documents including those vital insurance papers were provided in the original upload. It would also help if individuals applied to the travel portal for entry approvals earlier than they are doing. Some are still waiting last minute. Those travellers are being disappointed in many cases.
As for when Turks and Caicos will begin to ease travel entry requirements, which are part of the Covid-19 response, that is coming said Minister Josephine Connolly who said the details would be delivered by the Ministry of Health. However, the recently announced changes by the Ministry of Health, offer no relief on travel to the country.
TCI is lagging behind other Caribbean destinations which are quickly dropping the rigorous entry demands. The Bahamas has dropped mask wearing mandates mainly for tourists in tourist hot spots, following the US decision to end face covering rules for some 90 per cent of Americans.
Jamaica has ended its mandatory quarantine for the unvaccinated traveler; there is no test is required for vaccinated visitors to Antigua and Barbuda and Aruba does not require travellers be vaccinated or tested for COVID, pre-entry.
“The Government continues to monitor regional and international development and trends, as it relates to travel and easing of restrictions, are concerned. We are aware that to remain competitive, we must continually review all travel processes, procedures, and services.
We have the interest of all travelers, resident and non-resident, at heart and will ensure they are informed in a timely manner if and when the situation changes,” said the Ministry of Tourism.