Bahamas Will Open More Hotels, Beaches in October

The Bahamas will enter Phase 3 of the Tourism Readiness & Recovery Plan Beginning Oct. 15, ahead of the busy holiday season, and will include the reopening of beaches and major hotels. 

Minister of Tourism & Aviation Dionisio D’Aguilar announced on Monday that all hotel guests must abide by a mandatory 14-day “Vacation-In-Place (VIP),” which will allow guests to access to all amenities, including hotel spas, gyms, bars and more.

Phase 3 will also see the reopening of attractions, excursions and tours on Nov. 1.

Ahead of the reopening, The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation is working with airline partners to secure direct airlift from key markets where the curve has been flattened.

The Bahamian government announced new entry requirements, effective Sept. 1, including completing an electronic health visa and proof of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test taken no more than five days prior to arrival.

The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation along with the Ministry of Health and other government agencies will recommend an appropriate date to enter Phase 4 of the five-stage re-opening process, which pertains to the reopening of restaurants, select attractions, casinos, cruises and ferries.

The Bahamas have been significantly impacted by the pandemic due to the heavy dependence on tourism. Tourism accounts for accounting for more than 50% of the country’s GDP and 60% of national employment. D’Aguilar reiterated the commitment to revitalizing the country’s tourism industry while emphasizing that the health and wellbeing of citizens, residents and visitors of The Bahamas remain paramount.