NASSAU, Bahamas — The Bahamas will be “screaming from the mountain top” in a bid to ensure the planned US quarantine for incoming travellers does not devastate the tourism industry, a Cabinet minister pledged yesterday, The Tribune, one of The Bahamas’ leading newspapers, reported on Monday, January 25, in an article written by Business Editor Neil Hartnell.
Dionisio D’Aguilar, Minister of Tourism and Aviation, said the government will “explore every avenue” to influence — and potentially mitigate — the effects of President Joe Biden’s new COVID-19 travel policy which has already resulted in some Bahamian resorts reporting booking cancellations.
With The Bahamas and its tourism industry now facing a nervous 14-day wait to see how the new administration plans to implement the potential quarantine, and discover the details, Mr D’Aguilar said the Government was planning a proactive response rather waiting for the Biden administration to reach its own conclusions.
“We’re using all available sources, whether indirectly or directly,” he added of The Bahamas’ planned advocacy campaign. “I’m sure the US embassy is well aware of our concerns. We’re using all our available sources. The problem is the US government is in a state of transition, and a lot of appointees are not confirmed.
“We’re exploring every avenue. Until we get more specifics it’s impossible to highlight to the decision-makers or anybody that there is a strategic and economic impact to tourism in The Bahamas. But it’s always better to impact the outcome than change an outcome once a decision has been made.
“We’re in the mode of how important tourism and trade from the US is to our economic security. It’s very important we emphasise the concerns we have. We have to be proactive and not wait and let a decision be made, then act. By then it’s too late, in my opinion. We have to be proactive.”
“The Bahamas’ fragile tourism revival was dealt a potential crippling blow last Thursday after Mr Biden, on just his second day as president, signed an executive order that many interpreted as imposing a mandatory quarantine on all incoming travellers to the US – citizens and foreigners – even if they could produce a negative COVID-19 test.
“In light of the new COVID variants that you’re learning about, we’re instituting now a new measure for individuals flying into the United States from other countries,” President Biden said during a press conference the day after his inauguration. “In addition to wearing masks, everyone flying to the United States from another country will need to test before they get on that plane, before they depart, and quarantine when they arrive in America.”
The costs and time associated with such a quarantine period, which could last anywhere from seven to 14 days, are being viewed as a major deterrent and turn-off to Americans travelling to The Bahamas and elsewhere. See complete Tribune story at http://www.tribune242.com/news/2021/jan/25/screaming-mountain-top-biden-quarantine/
