Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Ludmila de Weever said in Thursday’s paper that mandatory travel insurance for visitors will be implemented by the end of the year, when the peak of the high season normally starts. The good news is that it will cost only US $30 for passengers over 14 years old and $10 for the younger ones, irrespective the length of their stay.
The policy will be valid for a maximum of six months, which is how long people from the Netherlands and the US – the latter based on the Dutch/American Friendship Treaty – may remain as tourists in the country, while for others this is three months. Although paying the same might seem a bit unfair to someone who comes for just a week or even less, it is also a way to reward longer and thus more lucrative stays especially by loyal guests.
One should keep in mind that the policy only covers coronavirus-related expenses including quarantine, isolation and hospitalisation if needed. The premium is obviously based on scientific data regarding COVID-19 infection and illness rates combined with entry requirements like negative test results.
Plans were announced quite some time ago, but the minister said adding medical evacuation caused some delay. This regards a potentially costly component nevertheless considered essential to protect local health care resources.
That seems like a good idea, also because – in addition to the “gold standard” PCR kind – St. Maarten is accepting four types of antigen test. This, despite a November 12 negative advice by the Outbreak Management Team (OMT) Caribbean to use such for arriving travellers.
The destination is therefore to a certain extent “sticking its neck out” to revive the dominant stayover tourism industry severely impacted by the pandemic. With regular cruise calls not expected to resume until at least a few months from now, that is the only realistic chance of a meaningful socioeconomic recovery anytime soon.
