One of the most popular destinations in the Caribbean, Jamaica, has been opened to U.S. Tourists since June of 2020. Let’s talk a little about how to visit this beautiful island nation.
Before we talk about visiting Jamaica it’s important to discuss the Resilient Corridors. These will govern where you can stay and what you can do.
While in Jamaica, tourists are limited to the resilient corridors, there is no travel allowed for tourists outside of these areas. Thankfully the corridors cover about 80% of areas visited by tourists so most travelers won’t even notice the restriction.
There are two corridors, one north and one south.
The North corridor stretches from Negril in Westmoreland to Port Antonio in Portland. This corridor includes popular destinations such as Mo Bay and Ochi, that’s Montego Bay and Ocho Rios. IT also covers many popular bays such as discover bay and runaway bay,
The south corridor stretches from Negril in Westmoreland to Milk River in Clarendon.
Transportation on island is only allowed by someone who is Tourist Board-Licensed. So don’t expect to rent a car and travel freely around the island.
The resilient corridors are a key component of the COVID19 procedures put forth by Jamaica, and approved by the World Travel and Tourism Council. These procedures were created to keep both visitors and locals safe during the pandemic.
Jamaica is not currently requiring visitors to be vaccinated, but there are still procedures that need to be followed to be allowed admission.
The first is to get a Travel Authorization Document. This document is not required to book a flight but will be required to board a plane destined for Jamaica. This form can be found at travelauth.visitjamaica.com. The application can be submitted anytime within 7 days prior to leaving. Each person traveling to Jamaica must have their own Travel Authorization Document.
Next you and everyone in your party will need to get a COVID test. Children 12 and under are currently expert from the testing requirement Thankfully this is becoming almost standard across many countries. For Jamaica you will need a COVID-19 molecular test, which can be a(PCR, NAA or an RNA; or an Antigen test. These tests must be performed by an accredited lab. This will need to be done no more then 72 hours prior to boarding your flight. If your test results fall outside of the 72 hour window you will not be allowed to board the flight until you retest and have received the results.
On arrival in Jamaica expect to undergo a health screening and risk assessment. There is a chance you might still be required to be tested again in Jamaica. Retesting can occur if you are presenting symptoms during the screening. In many cases you will be required to isolate at your resort while you wait for the test results.
If you test positive you will be required to quarantine for up to 14 days. Some resorts have facilities available for this purpose, otherwise you will need to stay in a government approved facility. Please understand that quarantining in Jamaica is no day a the beach, and I mean literally. You can’t spend your time on the beach. People that are in quarantine are confined to their room for the duration.
Once you clear your screening and customs you are free to enjoy Jamaica. Even though travel inland is prohibited, as you will be confined to the resilient corridors, there is still much of Jamaica to be enjoyed. Talk to your Travel Advisor about what is available and to arrange day trips.
After your fun in the sun you will need to get a COVID test 72 hours prior to leaving Jamaica. Just like with arrival, if you test positive you will be forced to quarantine in Jamaica for up to 14 days. Additionally, when traveling outside of the U.S. you are responsible for any medical costs such as transportation, care, or medical evacuation. Many U.S. health insurance policies do not cover you for foreign travel. You are also responsible for any quarantine costs.
The good news is that there are travel Insurances that can cover you for any of these situations. Speak with your Travel Advisor about available options. Don’t have a travel advisor? No problem. Visit adept.travel to contact us and learn more about our company and why using a travel advisor is a good idea.
