We need your ideas and questions today for Reopening!

[Monty&Melo]

Jamaica has done a great job with containment, with the exception of that call center. First, Jamaica needs to determine how to reopen safely prior to addressing the laundry list of ongoing concerns. Maybe they could consider setting up a tourism sector...Enter at MBJ and then travel straight to Negril with no deviance from the path. According to The Gleaner, there are only 10 cases from St. James to Westmoreland. (St. James - 8, Hanover - 0, Westmoreland - 2). Our other questions include:
What requirements will there be to enter into the country? Masks or other PPE?
What will the screening process be?
Cleaning kiosks between travelers? It seems safer to use a sanitized kiosk as opposed to a face-to-face meeting with the immigration officer.
Spacing between people in line for immigration and customs?
Will restaurants be open?
Will there be a curfew in place?

We still have our trip planned for early July and pray every day we will be able to come! We miss our beloved Jamaica and her people...our friends who are more like family. They need us there (safely) to enable them to work and support their families.

Melo

[Rob]

Rob, thank you for inviting us to share.

I'm assuming the the level of tourists returning to the island will be at a reduced level for the near term. Most people I'm in contact with aren't planning on traveling soon.

Group Tours and excursions will be difficult to manage with social distancing and may have to be deferred for the time being. I don't see snorkel trips to the reef with a boat full of people happening soon.

Do the Hotel Owners and the Chamber have access to sufficient supplies of masks, gloves and sanitizer to properly maintain a safe environment?

The economic need is obvious, but the overwhelming concern is to prevent a second closing of the border.
Will the hotels, restaurants, bars and tour operators be able to make a living if the number of tourists is below a certain level?
How many seats are booked on incoming flights for the month of June?

Thank you for letting me share my thoughts.

VVHT

VVHT,

Since this is slow season, it is possible the numbers maybe somewhat down, but fairly close to normal. There are some really slow weeks during the summer.

All legal attractions are being made to comply with social distancing and hand sanitizing station regulations. Masks are available aplenty, everywhere you go you can get them. Same with hand sanitizer, you can buy it by the gallon. Haven't really seen many gloves around yet, but I am sure that will change soon.

There are zero new tourists now. Any is better than zero. I will ask your two final questions this evening, the first one seems a bit existential and I am pretty sure no one will know how many seats are booked. I am not sure the airlines do...

Thanks man!

[Rob]

Jamaica has done a great job with containment, with the exception of that call center. First, Jamaica needs to determine how to reopen safely prior to addressing the laundry list of ongoing concerns. Maybe they could consider setting up a tourism sector...Enter at MBJ and then travel straight to Negril with no deviance from the path. According to The Gleaner, there are only 10 cases from St. James to Westmoreland. (St. James - 8, Hanover - 0, Westmoreland - 2). Our other questions include:
What requirements will there be to enter into the country? Masks or other PPE?
What will the screening process be?
Cleaning kiosks between travelers? It seems safer to use a sanitized kiosk as opposed to a face-to-face meeting with the immigration officer.
Spacing between people in line for immigration and customs?
Will restaurants be open?
Will there be a curfew in place?

We still have our trip planned for early July and pray every day we will be able to come! We miss our beloved Jamaica and her people...our friends who are more like family. They need us there (safely) to enable them to work and support their families.

Melo

Wow! I will ask..... lots of bullet points for Word....

Thanks!

[flhrbill]

We have been to Negril five times in the last four years and are really looking forward to our September vacation. I think most of the tourist will not return if there were restrictions such as 14 day quarantine, 6 foot social distancing or any other basic restrictions, other than wearing a mask in the airport or on public transportation. We generally stay on the resort and visit local shops, bars, and restaurants where we meet the most pleasant people.

[Rob]

We have been to Negril five times in the last four years and are really looking forward to our September vacation. I think most of the tourist will not return if there were restrictions such as 14 day quarantine, 6 foot social distancing or any other basic restrictions, other than wearing a mask in the airport or on public transportation. We generally stay on the resort and visit local shops, bars, and restaurants where we meet the most pleasant people.

There cannot be a 14 day quarantine... that would be pointless. If social distancing is still the way of the world, Jamaica will abide by it. If it has gone by the wayside, then Jamaican won't have it. But I see no way social distancing or masks use in the world changing by June, so anywhere you go it would be same. September is still a ways off...

[flhrbill]

Just one other point. Will the all inclusive resorts be required to maintain social distancing or wearing mask, gloves or other PPE?

Certainly people don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on their vacation if they don’t have the freedom to interact with their fellow vacationers. I certainly can understand wearing protective mask outside of the resort but I think if the government and the resorts are going to require the patrons to wear a mask then it will be quite a long time before the tourist return.

[Rob]

Just one other point. Will the all inclusive resorts be required to maintain social distancing or wearing mask, gloves or other PPE?

Certainly people don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on their vacation if they don’t have the freedom to interact with their fellow vacationers. I certainly can understand wearing protective mask outside of the resort but I think if the government and the resorts are going to require the patrons to wear a mask then it will be quite a long time before the tourist return.

Cool, this is a question I can ask!

Thanks man!

[Marko]

Jamaica has done a great job with containment, with the exception of that call center. First, Jamaica needs to determine how to reopen safely prior to addressing the laundry list of ongoing concerns. Maybe they could consider setting up a tourism sector...Enter at MBJ and then travel straight to Negril with no deviance from the path. According to The Gleaner, there are only 10 cases from St. James to Westmoreland. (St. James - 8, Hanover - 0, Westmoreland - 2). Our other questions include:

We still have our trip planned for early July and pray every day we will be able to come! We miss our beloved Jamaica and her people...our friends who are more like family. They need us there (safely) to enable them to work and support their families.

Melo

True there hasn't been anything in the way of Coronavirus cases in Jamaica...…
however Jamaica economy has been devastated…….true

the idea of MBJ straight to your resort is actually a pretty good one....
travelers could just show their airport transfer paperwork and it would keep things in more order...
of course there will be travelers that won't have paperwork but they could fill out a form......

see you in July......yah mon

Cool Runnings, Marko

[airswift]

What about the MoBay Club. I use them every trip, both ways.

[airswift]

Reopening is a very difficult decision. Once the borders are open You will have incoming flights from all over the world. Even with the best airport screening and all protocals in place, if one person slips thru. Well you know the rest.
I know the Jamaican economy is in trouble. Which is worse.