As countries slowly re-open their borders to visitors many Barbadians say they have no plans of taking a trip any time soon.
At the same time, those who spoke to Barbados TODAY said they were comfortable with visitors coming to Barbados once they followed the protocols put in place by authorities.
Some countries have already announced that they were welcoming visitors from countries that were considered “low-risk” for the coronavirus.
Last week local officials announced that by July 12 Barbados should welcome its first commercial flight of visitors since March.
Minister of Tourism and International Transport Kerrie Symmonds had also revealed that several protocols would be put in place before visitors could enter the island.
He explained that visitors outside of the Caribbean would have to take a COVID-19 PCR Antigen test 72-hours before they were scheduled to come to Barbados. That test will have to be accredited by a lab approved by the Ministry of Health.
Passengers from CARICOM will require a test a week prior to departure.
Failure to have a test done before arriving here would mean having a test upon arrival.
Rafik Patel told Barbados TODAY he would usually take a trip to Canada or a Caribbean island at least once a year but he was not comfortable travelling in a plane with other passengers with a mask on for several hours.
“So I have no intention of travelling this year,” said Patel.
“I don’t think I will be travelling any time soon. I don’t know if in the winter months coming in the northern climate there is going to be an upsurge,” he said.
Jade Chase and Rafik Patel
He said he “may” consider travelling to a Caribbean island “if the flights are reasonable” because he was more comfortable with the safety level in the region.
In relation to Barbados accepting visitors starting mid-July, Patel said once all the systems were in place he believed Barbados had a chance of keeping the virus under control.
“People coming in from high-risk countries, especially the US, aught to be tested and their COVID-19 assessment has to be very thorough,” said Patel.
Jade Chase also said she was not comfortable travelling at this time.
“It is still not safe,” she said.
However, she said she believed it was relatively safe for tourists to enter the island.
“Once they take precautions like testing upon entry they could come,” said Chase.
Shirlene White also shared similar sentiments, saying: “I wouldn’t travel at this time because of the challenges of coronavirus.”
White said she usually travels once every two years, but she did not believe she would be taking a trip for another five years.
Meanwhile, Andrew Henry said he was not interested in going to any other country at this time given that airlines did not have adequate safety precautions in place.
“So to travel now you are taking a risk,” he said.
In terms of Barbados re-opening its borders to visitors, Henry said “that is okay” since they require testing in their place of origin or upon entering Barbados.
Collin Bellamy usually travels “once every couple of years” but told Barbados TODAY he was not sure he wanted to take any overseas trips any time soon.
“I will not be travelling for a while,” he said.
However, Bellamy said he was confident that as Barbados starts to accept visitors authorities will do all they could to keep them and residents safe.
marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb
