Posts Tagged With: Bermuda

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Island of Bermuda

The bane of travelers and their advisors headed to the Caribbean is in its final days. Bermuda this week will end its requirement for travel authorization forms and the $40 per person fee that goes with them.

Effective November 14, the country announced it will “streamline the overall travel experience for visitors,” who no longer will be required to provide proof of vaccination or insurance. Instead, the island will return to its pre-Covid process, which requires only a free online form (available at www.BermudaArrivalCard.com.)

“The form captures visitor data, generating critical tourism statistics for the country and provides visitors, who opt-in, with relevant, timely communications to enhance their stay. The Bermuda Arrival Card is a simple online form that can be completed in mere minutes prior to travel to the island,” the announcement said.

Travel advisors cheered the change and said it would help Bermuda tourism in the long run.

“Excellent news and long overdue,” said Paul Barton of Expedia Cruises in Victoria. “It was an awkward, poorly implemented and relatively expensive process. This removes the final barrier to open up Bermuda to fully welcome tourists again. “

“Glad to see this change!,” agreed Dream Vacations franchise owner Melissa Stolz in Goshen, NY. “I have had to move many of my regular Bermuda sailors and regular visitors elsewhere to land trips that did not have restrictions and a fee.”

“Sadly, it’s a little too late, though. Bermuda has missed their season,” said Kim Kellar at Cohasset Travel in Cohasset, MA. “Being from Boston, our clients look to Bermuda for late spring through early fall. The extra hoops, expense and testing required by Bermuda have absolutely put off clients to other island destinations. Obviously, being a small island with limited medical facilities (many Bermudians actually come to the US for medical care), they had to do what they felt was right to protect their citizens. Just sad it comes so late in the season.”

But Stephen Todd, CEO of the Bermuda Hotel Association, noted that the change, originally scheduled for November 30, actually was moved up to capture “a crucial time before the US Thanksgiving travel period. This is a time when we anticipate welcoming visitors looking to take advantage of the current Fall into Winter promotions. It should also support demand in time for the return of three additional direct flights from Miami, JFK, and Toronto.”