Bahamas partially reopens to tourists

Recent negative test required for boaters

Capt. Billy Black of Stuart spent a majority of his past 28 years as a fixture charter fisherman in the Bahamas. Like many fishermen, divers, powerboaters, sailors and other tourists, he has not been able to visit his favorite destinations in the island nation for the past three months because of the coronavirus protocols.

That changed Monday. The Bahamas has reopened – not to all tourists, but some.

Black was crossing over Monday with a friend to help him deliver his boat. By the end of the month, Black has two fishing trips chartered.

Perhaps one of the worst parts of the equation is that Bahamians derive the bulk of their income from tourism.

The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation and the Bahamas Tourism Readiness and Recovery Committee recently announced plans to reopen in two phases:

Phase 1 (Monday)

• International boaters, yachters and private aviators can return.

• Commercial airlines can bring Bahamian citizens, legal residents and homeowners qualifying for economic permanent residency.

• Immediate family members or significant others of any of the groups above can return.

• All returning people must register at a Bahamian Embassy or consulate and obtain a COVID-19 test with a negative result.

• Hotels have reopened, but only for staff to enact the measures required to ensure hotels are ready to welcome guests for Phase 2.

Incoming boaters must plan ahead before traveling. Pre-travel requirements include:

• COVID-19 RT-PCR negative test result no older than 10 days, ready to be handed to Customs & Immigration officials upon arrival. (Children under 2 are exempt.) Note: Keep a copy for yourself.

• Customs & Immigration forms that must be filled out and printed before arrival. They are available at Bahamasmarinas.com.

• A Travel Health Card that must be filled out before travel, available at travel.gov.bs.

• No additional health form is necessary for inter-island travel.

• Marinas must be informed at least 48 hours before a vessel’s arrival. The form is also available at Bahamasmarinas.com.

Phase 2 (July 1)

• International travel, including commercial flights, can resume.

• Hotels and vacation rentals, including Airbnb and HomeAway, can reopen.

• Transportation including taxis, jitneys and buses, will be allowed.