It is not quite – yet – what the French-side hotel association and Collectivité President Daniel Gibbs were asking for, but the announcement of an experimental health protocol to fly from France to St. Martin effective this Tuesday (see related stories) can be seen as a first step to relaxing requirements for European travel to the island. It involves PCR testing that reduces the quarantine period to one week instead of 14 days, with one test within 78 hours before departure and another as confirmation at the end.
There are still requirements even after seven days with two negative tests, such as wearing facemasks and social distancing, but also avoiding gatherings and contact with the elderly. In addition, they must sign a sworn statement stating they have no COVID-19 symptoms and are not aware of any recent contact with infected cases, as well as the reason for their visit.
At the same time, motives for the change made in Paris include assisting the overseas territories in reopening, resumption of economic activity and families reuniting. Going on holiday should therefore be considered a legitimate purpose.
The Dutch side apparently does not plan regular flights from the Netherlands until August, judging from the booking options on KLM’s website. The intention is to start opening borders early July with St. Eustatius, Saba, St. Barths and Anguilla, to be followed by Bonaire, Curaçao and Aruba.
However, the latest indications coming out of Willemstad are that Curaçao will again permit regular quarantine-free travel with testing from the Netherlands and Bonaire on July 1, but not from Aruba and St. Maarten.
What these islands each do in this regard has an impact on one another, so it is important to coordinate strategic decision-making as best possible. For example, the lifting of all remaining restrictions for travel between St. Martin, Guadeloupe and Martinique means that residents of the latter two countries can freely land at Grand Case Airport and cross the open border into St. Maarten.
So, depending on how things evolve on the French side, authorities in Philipsburg may want to consider revising their commercial travel restoration schedule, because it doesn’t make much sense to keep one half of the destination closed with the other half open.
