Puerto Rico to Introduce New Vaccine and Testing Requirements for Hotel Guests

Puerto Rico will start requiring all hotel and short-term rental guests and employees to show either proof of vaccination or a negative test result in order to stay at overnight accommodations, beginning Aug. 16. 

Those who are not vaccinated will need to show proof of a negative PCR or antigen test taken within 72 hours of their visit. Those staying longer than one week will need to continue presenting negative tests on a weekly basis.

There is an option for those who are not vaccinated and arriving at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) can, to receive a Johnson and Johnson vaccine in Terminal B. The Johnson and Johnson vaccine is also available to tourists visiting the islands of Vieques and Culebra via the Maritime Transportation Authority ferry terminal in Ceiba.

The mandate comes amid a COVID-19 spike as the island, like many destinations, are driven by the Delta variant. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classifies Puerto Rico as having a “high” level of community transmission right now with a 10 to 14.9% test positivity rate over a 7-day average. 

“We cannot lower our guard,” said Gov. Pedro Pierluisi during the announcement. “There are vaccines for everyone. Vaccinations are the solution.”

Other COVID-19 protcols still remain in place, such as mandatory masks in all indoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status, and including children. Access to Old San Juan is limited to residents and tourists staying in the area from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m.

The island has seen an uptick in tourists since reopening borders to travel, as the tourism industry is begins to rebound after taking a hit during the pandemic. 

According to Discover Puerto Rico’s latest data, released during the July Industry Update, visitor numbers continue to grow, hotel occupancy has risen, and revenue from visitor spending and taxes are at an all-time high. Hotel occupancy rates are 15% higher than 2019, while the rest of the United States is showing hotel occupancy to be 7.5 percent below where it was two years ago.

The island’s main airport, Luis Munoz Marin International Airport, reported just under 1.19 million passengers in July. That marks a 15.6% increase compared to to July 2019, before the pandemic, according to Mexican company ASUR, which manages the airport.

Puerto Rico’s air traffic has been just shy of matching 2019 levels, with 5.555 million passengers through the first seven months of the year.