The Minister of Tourism, Denise Charles, has revealed that Dominica is on the verge of full reopening given the new health and safety protocols put in place to protect visitors and citizens. As from July 7, the government said incoming travellers no longer require mandatory quarantine if they can prove that they have been fully vaccinated and have medical clearance to travel.
The minister said the protocols will boost the tourism industry and reposition the economy to its pre-covid era again. She also noted that Dominicans who rely on tourists to earn a livelihood will become gainfully employed again, and that tourists will have no reasons to fear for their health and safety in regard to COVID-19 infection.
“We are in tune with the many persons whose livelihood depends on tourism and these new protocols will allow us to ease towards full reopening and certainly make our visitors more relaxed and safe in our nature,” she said.
The tourism minister further noted that government has implemented several initiatives to help the economy and the tourism sector rebound again. Through the Discover Dominica Authority (DDA), Charles said, the government will launch the “My Dominica Bucket List” and the “Nature Island Fitness Challenge” with a view to attracting potential visitors and tourists to Dominica. The Safe in Nature (SiN) programme will also go a long way to getting people to visit the country again.
She also added that once neighbouring countries graduate from high-risk classification to low-risk category, people will begin to move freely again and this will translate to economic boost for the entire region. As proof of that, she pointed out that Caribbean Airlines will soon commence direct flights from Trinidad to Dominica and from Dominica/Barbados to New York.
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