In a major move for the wider Caribbean tourism industry, The Bahamas has announced plans to become the region’s first island destination to waive testing requirements for fully vaccinated travelers. 

Simply put, if you are fully vaccinated, you won’t have to get tested before you travel to The Bahamas.

Beginning May 1, international visitors who are fully vaccinated (and have passed the two-week immunity period after the relevant jab) will be exempt from testing requirements for entry and inter-island travel. 

Vaccinated travelers will still have to apply for The Bahamas Travel Health Visa, and will have to upload proof of vaccination with their application. 

They will not, however, need to provide a negative PCR test prior to entry or submit to rapid-testing mandates during their stay in The Bahamas. 

Unvaccinated travelers will still have to comply with all of the country’s pre-testing and testing requirements, including applying for The Bahamas Travel Health Visa, proof of a negative test taken no more than five days prior to arrival, and rapid antigen testing if they’re staying in The Bahamas for longer than four nights and five days. 

All travelers will still have to complete the daily email health questionnaire while in the country, along with adhering to The Bahamas’ health and safety protocols like mask wearing, social distancing and frequent hand washing. 

It’s a strong message from one of the Caribbean’s leading destinations, and hopefully will lead other destinations in the region to follow suit. 

And it’s an example of the country’s smart, phased and successful approach to its tourism reopening, one that first began last summer.

Only one other Caribbean destination has a similar entry protocol, Belize, which also waived testing for fully vaccinated travelers. 

For more, visit The Bahamas. 

— CJ