Dominican Republic Covering Covid-19 Expenses To Win Travelers
Dominican Republic Loosening Entry Requirements, Adds Covid-19 Coverage
Few countries have seen their tourism industries as hard hit as that of the Dominican Republic. Already reeling from tourist scandals in 2019, covid-19 decimated the vital industry which supplies critical jobs and commerce to the country. In hopes of bringing visitors back, and fast, the country will soon provide covid-19 assistance, as well as loosen entry requirements.
Dominican Republic Loosening Entry Requirements
From September 15th, 2020 the Dominican Republic will drop testing requirements for visitors hoping to enter the country, and will also get rid of time consuming testing for arrivals, in favor of random rapid testing.
The move is part of a wider plan for tourism in the Dominican, titled “Responsible Tourism Recovery Plan” which will also include complimentary covid-19 coverage for all travelers “visiting a hotel”, according to the release. Notably, this would not include any cruise passengers. The complimentary coverage will handle emergency care, as well as covid-19 testing costs and any long term stay needs.
According to Dominican Tourism Minister David Collado, the government will work “shoulder to shoulder” with private industry, including hoteliers, airlines and tours to bring back key travel. The government is currently negotiating with numerous airlines to guarantee flight routes between key tourism gateways to the Dominican remain in tact.
Dominican Republic Covid-19 Coverage
Exact deetails remain scarce on the Dominican’s plans for complimentary covid-19 coverage for all guests to the island, but plans should become clearer over the next two weeks. Tourism Minister statements indicate all health coverage, flight changes, testing and any lodging needs will be covered for travel through December 20th, 2020.
Here’s what’s known so far.
Also starting on September 15, all tourists visiting a hotel will be granted during the check-in process a temporary, free travel assistance plan that will include coverage for emergencies, COVID-19 testing, lodging for prolonged stays and costs for changing flights in the event of an infection. This insurance will be provided at no cost to the visitor until December 2020 and will be 100% paid for by the Dominican State.
Dominican Republic Tourism
Obviously, many travelers may hold off until further details are provided. The news is a strong indicator of the Dominican’s commitment to return safe travel, but comes in interesting juxtaposition to the relaxed entry requirements.
Caribbean Travel Recovery
The Caribbean is finding its footing as it attempts to balance tourism and commerce needs with the safety of populations, on islands with limited medical resources. The US Virgin Islands abruptly closed tourism in recent weeks to protect key infrastructure in a surprising move.
Barbados has gone a different way, aiming to lure in long term visitors with digital nomad visas, allowing visitors from all around the world to enjoy long stays, and work legally from the island. With new health coverage measures, the Dominican Republic may be able to win back its own share of visitors too.
It represents an imaginative and positive way of reassuring travellers, but is likely to have only a limited effect until infection rates here and isolation requirement in tourists home countries are reduced. I do take issue with the reference to “tourist scandals” in 2019, rather than scandals, they were no more than an internet feeding frenzy in a slow news season and the apparent assumption that tourists, particularly US ones, do not die on holiday!
Anything that involves death, public intrigued, rumors of tainted booze, etc is scandalous, whatever the end result.