Jamaica has announced the reopening of its borders on June 15.

The Jamaican government worked closely with international partners to develop the public health-focused tourism protocols, which were designed based on other countries in the Caribbean, as well as global health agencies.

Protocols were developed with local government agencies including ministries of health and wellness, national security and foreign affairs as well as the private sector, unions.

Advice was also sought from international organisations such as the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), Centres for Disease Control & Prevention, the World Bank, PriceWaterhouseCoopers and development finance banks.

Jamaica’s health and safety protocols will be revisited every two weeks. As more information discovered about the new coronavirus, such as risk profile and symptoms, Jamaica will make a necessary and appropriate revision of the protocols.

Tourism industry fuels economy

Jamaica’s tourism industry employs 130,000 workers, and impacts an additional 120,000 jobs from other industries, making it the biggest contributor in the country’s economy.

“Tourism is the lifeblood of our local economy, and with the help of international experts and a dedicated task force, we have developed protocols that allow us to safely reopen our borders,” said Donovan White, Jamaica director of tourism.

“We are confident that as we restart our economy, Jamaicans will work together to ensure a safe, secure and seamless experience for our tourism workers, their families, and visitors, while preserving the authentic experiences travellers seek when they visit our shores.”

Currently, the country is repatriating 8,000 Jamaican nationals who have been stranded overseas due to Covid-19 related travel restrictions. Jamaicans returning to the island will undergo temperature checks and screening with public health officials. They will need to quarantine at home for 14-days and be monitored with phone or wristband geofencing.

After 15 June, all visitors will be screened via thermal temperature checks and symptom observation. If a visitor shows symptoms, the tourist will be subjected to additional screening such as testing and will be quarantined.