The pandemic means the entire Caribbean tourism industry has to adapt its practices — and that includes the on-island transportation industry.

Accordingly, officials in Antigua and Barbuda have begun training sessions for taxi operators focused on passenger safety and “minimizing occupational health risks.”

The program provides taxi drivers with key information about the novel coronavirus, how it is transmitted and what is expected of drivers to “minimize their risk of infection, and protocols they are expected to follow to protect their passengers,” according to the Antigua and Barbuda Ministry of Tourism.

“The taxi operators and their passengers are required to wear masks at all times and we are insisting that the operators clean and disinfect their vehicles as often as possible especially after dropping off passengers and we want them to pay close attention to surfaces that are touched often by passengers and sanitize after each trip in preparation for the next passenger,” said Dr. Adelle Blaire, Sustainable Tourism Officer within the Ministry of Tourism and Investment and Liaison Officer for the National Office of Disaster Services in the Tourism Ministry.

Antigua is training some 280 taxi operators who operate at the island’s airport and at hotels across the destination.

“We want our guests to feel comfortable and at ease knowing protocols are being followed while they are being transported”, Dr. Blair Said.

— CJ