In this post:
Panama, Bahamas & Morocco entry changes
Although Asia is still lagging behind, there are more and more countries that are opening for tourism. This week the Bahamas allowed a relaxation in its policy for high risk countries, perhaps following the lead set by Barbados which seems an acceptable compromise between safety and allowing tourism to continue.
Morocco
]The Moroccan National Tourist Office (MNTO) has confirmed that international visitors, including tourists from the UK will be allowed to enter. If you do not require a visa you can enter the country with a negative Covid-19 PCR test where the results are dated no more than 72 hours before departure. You must also present either an invite issued by a Moroccan company, or an accommodation booking for the duration of their stay.
Morocco is not currently on the UK travel corridor list so you will need to quarantine on return.
The country is also currently served by two airlines from the UK – Royal Air Maroc operates from London Heathrow into Casablanca three times weekly, while Air Arabia departs from London Gatwick into Tangier twice weekly. Royal Air Maroc is now part of oneworld. BA is due to resume flights to Marrakech at the end of October.
If you think you may want to visit, I would research thoroughly as some things are still subject to heavy restrictions and not everything is open.
Panama
While Panama is a rather more offbeat destination in Central America, everyone I know that has been there loved it. On 12 October Panama is finally reopening its borders to international tourists and foreigners. By this date, most tourist activities such as hotels, tours, spas, beaches, and pools will be open as well. However, Panama does have some very strict laws in place about mask wearing.
To enter Panama:
Entry Requirements for Panama
- Travelers will be required to present a negative COVID PCR test taken no more than 48 hours prior to their arrival time in Panama. (this may be extended to 96 hours)
- If a passenger’s COVID test was taken more than 48 hours before the moment of arrival, they will be mandated to take a rapid COVID test at the airport before customs and the traveler will have to cover the costs of the test.
- There are currently no restrictions on entry from the UK.
Bahamas
There is currently no direct travel from The Bahamas to the UK. British Airways plan to resume in late November. The Bahamas were also withdrawn from the UK travel corridor list as cases rose. The issue for us travelling now is also whether countries will let us in given our rising numbers. The Bahamas is now changing its protocol from the 1 November to something more tempting for travellers. The new protocols will require visitors, and returning citizens and residents to obtain a RT-PCR (swab) test no more than seven (7) days prior to their travel to The Bahamas. In addition, and to ensure that travelers remain COVID free, a rapid antigen test will be conducted upon arrival, and then again four days (96 hours) after arrival in The Bahamas. A rapid test is quick and painless compared to a normal PCR so this should mean no real inconvenience to your holiday.
The Bahamas health visa will continue to be required and a charge will be levied. More details are available at the Ministry of Tourism.
Ski & Winter Sun
With it looking like we may have a better alternative to quarantine coming soon, I thought that it was worth having a look at the stats for some of the usual countries that we would consider for a winter holiday. If you discount regulations coming back to the UK, there are actually quite a few options that will allow us in, albeit with testing in most cases.
It is well worth following Paul Charles on Twitter to keep up to date on the latest figures. For the first time he has released a wider range of countries now that most of Europe is on the red list.
Winter Sun/Ski weekly update: we’re now also tracking most winter sun and ski destinations. Our chart does not take into account restrictions on entry, if any, but does include current UK safe corridors. Many have low #COVID19 infection and death rates. #WinterSunSki @ThePCAgency pic.twitter.com/498HfPZrxI
— Paul Charles (@PPaulCharles) October 4, 2020
In a few days I will have another look at what options are available once we know about any possible UK testing for travel….
Announcement on UK testing vs quarantine
As I reported last week, it appears we are finally getting some movement on testing as an alternative to quarantine. Wtih rapid testing fast approaching (!) this could make all the difference both in time and cost. Results can be available in less than an hour or sometimes in a matter of minutes. Tests are much cheaper at around £30 as well which removes many of the issues with testing currently as they do not require a special lab to process them.
It has now been mentioned in the Telegraph that we are expecting an announcement this week. I won’t hold my breath just yet as I have heard these rumours many times!
