Government
Forbes highlights TCI vax mandate in March Travel Update
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, March 9, 2023 – The Turks and Caicos’ continuing vaccine mandate is still making headlines; it landed the premier Caribbean destination a special spot on a recent Forbes Magazine list exploring travel updates for March 2023.
“The Turks and Caicos is the only high-profile tourist destination in the Caribbean Islands that restricts visitors. Through March 31, 2023, visitors at least 18 years old need to be fully vaccinated but do not need a pre-arrival test or Covid-19 travel insurance. Unvaccinated adults are currently unable to visit these islands. The nation hasn’t indicated if they will extend the travel vaccine mandate as of March 3, 2023,” said the article published on Sunday,
The TCI Government decided to extend the mandate last December just as the travel entry requirement was due to expire, adding a further three months to the mandate. It was explained, that rising global cases and the country’s then boosted positivity rate were all factors in the extension.
The tourism partners of the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association were not pleased about the extension saying it made the country appear archaic. Still, bookings have not suffered if the record numbers are anything to go by.
Whether that will continue with the world now open for business and restriction-free is yet to be seen. The article said, “The Caribbean Islands are back to normal. There are no entry restrictions to visit popular destinations such as Aruba, The Bahamas, Dominican Republic and Jamaica.”
Regardless, stakeholders including the government and tourism partners are confident that the interest in the TCI is lasting.