All-inclusive hotels offer COVID-19 testing and even free quarantine

When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), announced that a new rule, taking effect on Jan. 26, would allow any traveler entering the United States from international destinations to have a negative COVID-19 test, the news shocked the now-weak Caribbean tourism industry. But in a sample of almost unprecedented speed and union, the response from hoteliers in Mexico and the Caribbean did not wait, and many of them announced that they will offer free or low-cost COVID-19 testing within the same hotels, and some went further, offering that those who have positive results can pass the quarantine with them for free or at discounted rates of up to 50%.

The measure gave a reprieve, albeit temporarily, to the battered situation of tourism in the area, an industry that has been devastated around the world by shutdowns since March 2020 following the coronavirus pandemic. While there was still a shortage and working with limited capacity, travelers had timidly started visiting landmarks such as Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico.

Dozens of hotel chains have already announced free trials, including Sandals Resorts (they have insurance that covers quarantine); Xcaret Resort, Excellence Resorts, Couple Resorts, Hard Rock Hotels, Royalton, and much more. Before traveling, it is important to check what type of tests they offer, which ones are free and the procedure for requesting them in time for your return trip, and what would happen if it is positive and you need to be quarantined . Procedures vary depending on the hotel and destination visited.

“With this, hotels address the main concerns travelers to Caribbean destinations currently have. On the one hand, the costs of the tests and not knowing the process to perform them, and on the other hand the costs of quarantine. But we’ve seen the best hotels already offer both, ”said Jorge Ponsa, President of Travel Planners and Franchise Owner, Expedia CentrodeCruceros. He stressed that his agency doesn’t see a large group of cancellations because there aren’t as many travelers as in a non-pandemic time. “We have seen the keen interest in hotels such as Xcaret Mexico continue, a complex that even includes the Xcaret Parks, and while not many people travel there are many questions,” said Ponsa.

Daphne Barbeito, CEO of ToGo Cruises, for her part, said tourism has been affected in the past by external elements such as ash showers, earthquakes, hurricanes, terrorist attacks and now the pandemic. “This new requirement for negative test international arrivals 72 hours before the trip poses a new challenge and setback, but at the same time opens the door to give the impression of being a safer process and work towards a reopening with other destinations that they are currently closed to the markets in the United States and Puerto Rico, ”he said. For her, now more than ever the time to use the services of a bona fide travel agent and certified by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. “Passengers are therefore better protected in times of emergency.

According to Ángel Alverio, president of the Puerto Rico Chapter of the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA), travel companies are also looking carefully at the global situation. “We need to evaluate aspects such as the cost to the traveler, the difficulty of getting the tests worldwide and the availability of the visited country to stay with the visitor who tests positive. It was poor coordination, such a shocking measure does more harm than good, and the tests should have been carried out by the airlines, ”said Avis and the General Sales Agent of Budget Rent a Car in Puerto Rico (GSA).

For travelers, Alverio recommends that they get vaccinated as soon as possible, that they orient themselves well with their travel agent about the country to visit, and focus on visiting the United States for now. “It seems to me that this is the intentional and subliminal purpose of the measure,” he said.

For the president of the Puerto Rican Association of Travel Agencies (APAV), Manuel Franceschini, this will ultimately benefit the travel industry. “Our passengers love to travel and are well aware of the need to protect themselves and obey the laws. But this measure now ensures that all travelers coming from international destinations have a negative COVID-19 test, they are no longer a volunteer at the airport, ”said the businessman who owns Travel Plus, in Ponce.

Franceschini emphasized that the union and effort of the travel industry can be seen not only abroad, but also on the island, where most of the agencies have remained active. “Only the very small ones will not go ahead, but month after month the same number of open agencies are reported, and between all owners we maintain communication through forums and chats, where we share information, including help from the government and the Tourism Company. “It is important to have your local travel agent as they have provided continuous services and support throughout the pandemic,” concluded the APAV president.