The operator of one of Barbados’ most popular hotels believes the strict adherence to rigorous COVID-19 protocols will be a big selling point for wooing more tourists to the destination over the coming months.
This assessment comes as Minister of Tourism and International Transport Lisa Cummins reported that just over two dozen of the island’s almost 100 hotel properties have reopened, and a growing number of them were showing an interest in serving as quarantine facilities as they anticipate an increase in visitors to the island.
Owner of the Crane Resorts Paul Doyle told reporters on Friday that he was pleased with the protocols in place from the time guests arrive at the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA), to their length of stay at the St Philip property.
The Crane Resort was one of the first properties to reopen, following the closure of hotels in early April. It was also one of the first to volunteer to be a quarantine facility.
“There is a whole lot of people who just need to destress and get into an environment like we have in Barbados, where you don’t need to fear for your life because you are walking by somebody; and we need to keep it that way,” said Doyle.
“We want to show people a great vacation experience, but we are also strict on following protocols. There is no question you have to follow them . . . . I think Barbados selling the fact that we are strict will win us far more business. Any business that we lose by doing that we don’t mind losing. That will help sell us as a country.”
Doyle added: “We are in such a wonderful position here because we have done a great job – the Government and the people of Barbados – really [controlling] this thing. To have zero spread in the community is amazing. So it gives people a lot of confidence.”
He was speaking ahead of a tour of his St Philip hotel, which was designed to give journalists and tourism officials a first-hand view of how the hotel and staff had adopted to the new protocols while welcoming guests.
Stating that the service at the airport was great and the process seamless, Doyle said The Crane then provided an equally acceptable experience and was the ideal place to quarantine.
“We are lucky here at the Crane because we were built for social distancing in 1887. We have so much space and people are just spread out. We take it for granted but that is how we have always lived here,” he said.
Doyle explained that guests were given coloured armbands based on whether they had the virus, were awaiting a second test, or were COVID-19 negative.
He said the people who were in quarantine were kept separate from those who were not, and they used different pools.
The sprawling property is dotted with clear signage reminding guests and workers to wear their masks, sanitize and wash their hands and practice physical distancing.
Chief Marketing Officer at The Crane, Annmarrie Thompson said staff at the hotel were coping very well, pointing out that they were constantly undergoing training.
She also stated that some staff members had the opportunity to work remotely if they chose to.
“Everyone is pleased with what has been done and everyone is working together to make sure that we support Barbados to get people back here,” Thompson said.
Minister of Tourism and International Transport Lisa Cummins commended the operators of The Crane for the measures being taken.
She said since the resort’s reopening more than two months ago, several other properties have stepped up to the plate.
“So now we have close to 25 hotels that have reopened, and a growing number of them that continue to indicate that they are preparing to reopen and willing to do both quarantine and self-isolation,” she said.
“We really want to be able to say out there, Barbados and our health officials have done a phenomenal job at keeping us safe. They have done a tremendous job of capturing, I would want to say, 99 per cent of all cases at the border.
“That really is a credit to our health officials and a major selling point for our tourism product,” she added.
Pointing to new protocols to take effect on October 1, she said individuals coming to Barbados will require a test on the second day of their arrival despite taking a test 72-hours prior to travel.
Cummins disclosed that the promised test at the Heathrow Airport could be in place in just over a week, as she continued to have meetings with airline partners and airport officials to “open new gateways coming out of the UK”.
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This is all fine if you are wanting to stay in an hotel to quarantine . However here in the U.K. the public COVID test is only for those showing symptoms . Without these you have to go privately which costs between £150 to £450 each person ,these to be compliant to entry into Barbados . So visiting my own home , on island ,is going to be that much more expensive for my family and guests ( planning to arrive in November onwards ) or I suppose those that rent out their house to guests !
I am writing from the UK and whereas I completely agree that officials want to keep Barbados COVID free I very much doubt that the latest regulations will bring back tourists. Having to present a negative covid test result on arrival is perfectly understandable. However, subsequently having to quarantine for several days in a government chosen facility DESPITE a negative test is unacceptable, even arriving from a declared “high-risk” country. A negative test is a negative test! By all means test tourists again after a few days BUT let them go to their booked and paid for accommodation rather than quarantine them for no good reason if they have arrived with a negative test result. This will deter tourists from visiting as they come to enjoy your beautiful country rather than sitting in a quarantine facility not being able to move.
But how do you really think, that someone wants to come on vacation to Barbados, knowing that out of, perhaps, 3 weeks of vacation, 2 will have to spend in isolation? in addition, having to undergo an invasive examination such as a swab! but do you know how much it costs from Europe to come to Barbados? We’ll see.
This is fine and dandy but my issues as I try once again for the 31st time in 40 yr is it is not that simple.
I applaud what Barbados is done and encourage it to continue but tthe government is assuming that all visitors can get a PCR test as required in their home countries. Not in Canada.
We are at risk of 14 day isolation if we sit on the plane within 4 rows of a positive.
We cannot get health coverage for Covid nor trip interruption.
And of course the game keeps changing. We try to make plans against a moving target.
That said my friends who are Bajan are the first priority. Safety first.