Five international airlines plan return to Cayman

| 27/08/2021 | 156 Comments
Cayman News Service
Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan at Wednesday’s press briefing

(CNS): On 9 September the Cayman Island will once again open up the skies to commercial aircraft, allow all residents to come and go and lift the restrictions placed on guests. However, everyone will still need to isolate or quarantine on arrival in line with the current regulations. Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan has said that this was the first step in the reintroduction of tourism. With the end of repatriation flights, Cayman Airways will be able to reintroduce its own flight schedule, and five other international airlines have said they will be returning to Grand Cayman with weekly flights in the coming months, though which airlines has not yet been revealed.

Talks are ongoing about the specific dates that commercial service will return but the hope is that the reopening of the skies next month will help ease Cayman toward an expected increase in visitors in the last quarter of this year, when isolation requirements will be lifted for vaccinated travellers.

“After 18 months without international commercial flights to our Islands, the Ministry and Department of Tourism are in discussions with our airline partners to prepare for their return to Cayman,” Bryan said at Thursday’s press briefing. “We are currently working in collaboration with the Airports Authority and other relevant entities to safely schedule, and manage, the resumption of commercial air service.”

A full update on which airlines are returning and from which gateways will be revealed when the schedule is finalised, the minister said, noting that some airlines may be introducing mandatory vaccine requirements for passengers.

Signalling the restart of tourism and the return of jobs for thousands of local people displaced by the pandemic, he said that the ministry and DoT are working to make sure the phased border opening takes place as safely, smoothly and efficiently as possible.

People will still be required to contact Travel Cayman before entering Cayman in order to verify their vaccine if they are isolating on trust, or to secure a wristband or a place in government quarantine for those who are unable to verify their shots, or for unvaccinated individuals and vaccinated families travelling with children.

Bryan said that while he was pleased to get to this point and was looking forward to welcoming tourists back, he remained concerned just days before this next step that too many people have not been vaccinated.

“We cannot stop COVID from entering our shores some day in the future, once we open our borders, and I’m not sure everyone fully understands this,” he said, as he urged tourism workers especially to get vaccinated. “Tourism workers and frontline staff have a lot more contact with visitors on a regular basis. This is why it’s so important for them to be vaccinated, because if they’re not, they are basically putting their lives, and the lives of people they love, at risk.”

The return of workers to tourism jobs is expected to start happening over the next few weeks and Bryan said that the ministry was focusing on Caymanians being prepared to take up the jobs as they reemerge. He urged all tourism stipend recipients to register with WORC, as around 1,075 had still not registered and the deadline is on Tuesday.

He said that to achieve the object of having all out of work locals filling the tourism related vacancies as they return, “it is absolutely vital that we have the relevant data”.

Of those that have registered, 473 had previously registered with WORC, another 641 people have confirmed that they would like assistance from WORC to find a job, and 598 people said that they do not require any help to secure employment.

To find out more about WORC’s registration drive, contact them on 945 9672
or visit their website.


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Category: Business, Local News, Tourism, Travel

Comments (156)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    We all worked together to keep the island covid free now you’re going to open up and throw away all our hard work no fu#king way.

    Sell outs

    Cayman is the only place Covid free we should keep it like that for our sake, our children sake!!!!

  2. Anonymous says:

    When will direct flight start coming from France, Qatar, Germany and other parts of the world?

    We have a longer runway, surely this should open the door for access to more international hubs!

    • Anonymous says:

      The runway is like 200 meters longer lol. It needs to be like 1000m (probably more) to even start talking about that – which won’t happen.

    • Anon says:

      Hopefully soon. We need competition and then that would force BA to fly their New Dreamliner and lower the crazy prices, like they do to America and Asia with all the other competition.

      • Anonymous says:

        No major European Airline is flying to ORIA. Stop fooling yourself assuming Cayman is highly sought after by that market. What we should do is continue to improve our tourism product and activities.

    • Anonymous D says:

      The runway is not long enough to support large jets for those distances at regular travel loads. The BA planes(777s) were only doing the direct flights during COVID with reduced passenger/cargo/and fuel loads. There would need to be at least another 2000ft added to the runway to achieve those distances with viable load factors.

    • Anonymous says:

      Runway length was never the problem…

    • Anonymous says:

      Good question/great idea9:00a

      Qatar Airways, Air France, Lufthansa, etc would fly via Havana, Kingston or Panama, not Cayman – using KX as a “feeder” airline – which would happen now in the case of 2 of the destinations.

      Nothing goes on from ORIA, all flights return to their point of origin after they leave Cayman. BA is an unusual exception, for obvious reasons – How many of us can remember the year that British Midland Airlines (sp.?) started flying to ORIA?

      Furthermore, Cayman does not currently provide the potential to become a regional hub in the NW Caribbean.

      A hell of a lot of things would have to change to see that transition take place – starting with a national strategy/plan to pursue this development.

      Don’t even think of asking the Tourism Department or the CAA to do this, as such an initiative has to be driven from the national level where CIG does not even have a dedicated aviation ministry, section or department.

      The point is, this would take initiative, drive, time…. to achieve.

    • Anonymous says:

      No parking, no air bridges and runway not long enough to depart with full fuel loads, why do you think BA goes via Nassau?

      • Anonymous says:

        Huh

        BA flies direct GCM – LHR

        I think maybe your knowledge is outdated?

        • Anonymous says:

          Are you the first person that never heard of the pandemic flight changes? The moment we are back to modus operandi it’ll always go to Nassau as well.

  3. Anonymous says:

    The whole reason we (and I) got vaccinated was to best prepare our bodies for our eventual reopening. If we continue with restricted, no-visitor access and mandatory quarantine (i.e. a zero-tolerance for a single community case), the whole vaccination strategy has been pointless.

    • Anonymous says:

      Welcome to cayman

    • Anonymous says:

      Called my State board of health today. My state does not do and has no plans to be doing digital passport ( State of Massachusetts, US)
      The only suggestion would be a notarized immunization record which I would have to request 20 + days before travel and they were not sure of the turn around.

      The bigger question- Will Cayman accept this? Fully vaccinated.

      • Traveller says:

        That’s a very fair question and one which Travel Cayman should be trying to address for multiple jurisdictions.

        The more people that send these types of queries in, the sooner they will realize the complexities/logistices that need to be addressed (I hope).

        Being proactive would be a great help to our population and to those who want to visit.

      • Truth says:

        The bigger question is does Cayman want you? Have they let hotels rehire staff yet? Can visitors get picked up and dropped of at the airport? Are all the restaurants, water sports operators, etc. open yet? No. Why not? Because they do not want tourist here period. Better to spend your money in Key West or Mexico where you are welcome.

  4. Anonymous says:

    Most people I know are already booking or booked elsewhere in Caribbean. Cayman have missed the boat… literally. This government has killed tourism for a good few years ahead. No one will book because of the likelihood that they will react to the inevitable rising cases by closing the borders again.

    • Anonymous says:

      That is partially true. The reopening plan is still wishy- washy. It needs to be firm. There is still too much in question regarding the 80%, the acceptance of the CDC card, the quarantine period for people to put down money on a trip. Once this is clear and the quarantine period is gone and people know that the CDC card will be accepted or some format that is accepted besides digital which most states are not doing, people , at least from the US will start booking trips.

  5. Anonymous says:

    As some one suggested it is good for us to have a case study on covid behaviour in cayman as Research project. Public health England or PAHO may fund
    H.S.A data system should capture for every resident the vaccine status medical conditions which they do now and covid status if any one test positive in coming months and details as symptoms hospitalisation and the outcome.
    The same should be done even if a visitor tests positive.
    The info collection system should be developed in advance to be able to analyse monthly.
    If vaccination system and clinical system kept separately may be headaches in linking.
    As we continue to open up phasewise it gives good info not only for us but whole world .Smallness has beauty.
    Best wishes if any Govt officials r Hon Ministers take note of and consider seriously.

  6. Anonymous says:

    Will they be putting up big signs without planning permission to advertise their return?

  7. Anonymous says:

    I’m amazed at how many people think we can remain closed for fear of another lockdown. Suppose we do lockdown, then what? Unlock in 3 weeks and close the border forever?

    How about we never lock down again and stop this madness.

    Take appropriate steps to protect yourself and face reality.

  8. Anonymous says:

    CNS: Not sure if I’ve missed this, but when the first case of community transmission is recorded of the delta variant – what is CIG’s response going to be?

    Let’s face it, by the time we’ve picked up the fact that it’s in the community, it’s too late to contain.

    • Anon says:

      We are never going to keep it out the community. It’s impossible. Get vaccinated, social distance, wear a mask and self isolate if you test positive. That’s what the rest of them world do. Stop thinking we can keep Covid out of the cayman community – it’s never going away and we need to move on from this ridiculous closed bubble.

      • Anonymous says:

        Agreed, but I don’t believe we have heard the response from CIG. NZ & Aus are proving the above… I just want to know if they’re planning on locking us down when (not if) Covid turns up again.

        They tell us they have a plan for opening, but what’s the plan for containment once the cat is out of the bag. If it’s lockdown again, maybe those shouting loudest to reopen may want to reconsider.

        • Anonymous says:

          Exactly! Especially concering is lack of communicaiton about what the plans are for schools. ZERO parents want to homeschool again. If a child at a school tests positive, are CIG going to shut down all schools island wide (major overreaction, which would not at all surprise me) or have just the one class the student was in isolate for week (much more practical and measured)? Parents deserve to know this so they can be prepared. My opinion on re-opening is 100% tied to the plan for schools.

  9. Anonymous says:

    We should only allow vaccinated visitors to enter the country. No vaccine card, no entry!

    • Anonymous says:

      Bizarrely unvaccinated visitors are safer, since they have to quarantine on a tag. It’s the vaccinated traveller who poses the risk since they will be allowed free access, since it’s possible to have and transfer COVID whilst vaccinated. Unlikely to catch it, even more unlikely to have it and pass a pcr test pre flight here, but not impossible. Which is why CIG says we will get community transmission once they open under the plan and why it’s important for everyone to vaccinate.

    • Anonymous says:

      I agree. Any thing that brings down the economy is a good thing. The sooner something dies the sooner a newer, better thing can replace it. Bring on the recession.

  10. Thinktank says:

    Mr. Tourism Minister,
    I am going to suggest to you and the Premier that we begin, in earnest, exploring the field of MEDICAL RESEARCH to be conducted here in the Cayman Islands. It is a very lucrative field and could bring millions of dollars per year to the Cayman Islands Government’s Treasury. It can have a fairly quickly start up and will not leave such a large footprint or wreak havoc on the infrastructure, such as cruise tourism. Personally, I think it’s going to take quite a while to get tourism back to its former numbers (if ever we can) and particularly with our beaches disappearing overnight, I vote for MEDICAL RESEARCH as a possible 3rd or 4th pillar of the economy. Let’s not put all of the eggs in one basket. Diversification may just be the key!

    • Who governs the governors says:

      Wasn’t medical research in Wuhan China what started the whole problem in the first place?

      • Neal says:

        ILLOGICAL False equivalence

        A completely different type of “medical research” than studying the effects of the virus on the island.

        And actually your statement is open to debate no conclusion has been drawn.

  11. DANIEL JOHNS says:

    ahhhhh Covid, welcome,, When most of the problems lie within Florida and Texas. let us welcome back the antivaxxers.. surrre makes sense.. what a flustercluck…

  12. Anonymous says:

    Keep playing along if you support mandatory, perpetual inoculations.

  13. Anonymous says:

    Stock up on food and toilet paper, be ready for the end of year lock down. Very sad and stressful those lock downs.

    • Anonymous says:

      For many of us, lockdowns are stress free

      The incarcerated, hospitalised, elderly in care, shut-ins, etc are okay

      For the rest of us, those that have the ability to plan and be prepared are fine

      The 50+% of us that now work from home are fine

      Roads are safer, life is more orderly, the economy does better, and so on

      Mental health issues are another issue

      • Anonymous says:

        Is this satire? What about the people who lose their income?

        Must be a govt employee with no understanding of the real world.

  14. Anonymous says:

    For a year and a half, CAL has rewarded its best and most loyal customers with double and triple airfares, no rewards mileage, political crony detours, Travel Time favoritism, uncertain schedules, flight cancellations/reprotection shenanigans, and endless public cash bailouts. It will be nice to reintroduce some consumer flight competition again.

    • Say it like it is. says:

      11.40pm They have to pay all their staff as none have been laid off, even though half of them are idle.

      • Anonymous says:

        That’s a poor management decision and is a constant at CAL. They don’t “have” to pay all their staff.

        Airlines across the globe had to furlough staff until flying schedule resumed. CAL, on the other hand, is paying their staff full salary to do nothing!

    • Amanda says:

      Hello 11:40
      They don’t care. They want to crash the economy like other countries are doing. Cayman is a nowhere place and other places are open and cost less. Look at their air fares now? They are upping the prices. They are crazy.

  15. Just asking says:

    We have been stuck in our own bubble for the last year whilst the rest of the world has had to deal with covid! What I’d like to ask to this government is once we open and the first case is transmitted locally are they going to lock down again? I have money in it that once we have one death locally we’ll shut down again.
    My personal opinion is just open, as we will have to deal with this virus for decades to come, just like the flu and other viruses, yes unfortunately some of our loved ones will pass but let’s be honest we can live in a bubble forever.

    • Anonymous says:

      Exactly, there should be no further lockdowns, period.

    • Angus says:

      Just asking!!

      the Cayman Islands World Class Government has implemented the safest reopening plan in the world. Why on earth would you even think that they don’t have a plan to dedicate a response to community transmission which is bound to happen. Wake up and smell roses 🌹

      • Anonymous says:

        Um, Because they are stupid? So stupid that they believe they are the smartest people in the world and no one can tell them what or how to do anything? So stupid that they will never do anything that anyone else is doing regardless of it working because they did not think of it? Because a third world mind only does third world things? Because, Well all the rest. Clearly. All the best.

  16. Anonymous says:

    “Five international airlines plan return to Cayman.” Which airlines have committed? this article leaves a lot of information in limbo. If they can’t give us names do not count on it happening

    • Anonymous says:

      I am guessing one of them will be… Delta.

    • AnonLC says:

      American is scheduling at least for early October.

    • Truth says:

      Caymankine info. Airlines still have no reason to put money on empty flights to Cayman Islands. Have they let hotels rehire off island skill to get them running and up to speed? No. Why would tourist come here when they live in an open economy? Giving permission to come means nothing when no one will want to. Now comes the time when the Island must pay for closing itself off from the world and it won’t be easy and as usual all the problems caused will come as a big surprise. There is a mountain to still cross to get Cayman back to where it once was. At least two more years. Plan, survive, patience.

    • Anonymous says:

      Didn’t see the word “commit” anywhere. Kenny is having discussions about it, that’s all, but is trying to dress it up as progress. Notice there is no comment on timing or pre conditions- like whether they will return at all if we still have quarantine.

  17. Anonymous says:

    Worst part is, I think he actually believes the crap that comes out of his mouth.

    • Anonymous says:

      Anyone remember Jamaica before Michael Manley ?
      7.04 I live in fear for our future when people will ask “anyone remember Cayman before MacKenneth ?”

    • Edwin bozeman says:

      That unfortunately is the reality of it

  18. Anonymous says:

    How about Cayman Airways add one or two more weekly flights from Miami? Some residents (like me and my wife) have been trying to book a return flight all August or September. But they are all sold out (I’ve been on a waitlist for several weeks).

    Please….we have no way of getting back.

    • Anonymous says:

      Agreed. I do not understand why there are not more flights when the 2 per week are continually full.

      I wish they would explain so that we could understand, because at the moment, we all think they are idiots.

      Just y’day I booked my return for 8Sep. There just happened to be one seat at the time I called. (waitlisting is complicated)
      Keep trying. Be kind/empathetic on each call as I am sure their agents are just as frustrated.

      • Anonymous says:

        Waitlisting is complicated aka it doesn’t work at all and less you know someone.

        I was able to books 4 flights on KX this summer without being waitlisted simply by checking a couple times a day and booking when flights popped up. It they actually managed the “waiting lists” that should never have been possible.

      • Anonymous says:

        It is just cruel by CIG to not allow 1 to 2 more CAL flights a week as the demand far exceeds the supply.

        They added two more BA flights and there is open inward capacity on all four September BA flights. Why cant they do the same for CAL?

  19. Anonymous says:

    Lock down for Christmas present, thanks PACT

    • Anonymous says:

      Kids are out of school anyway

      • Anonymous says:

        Not everything,every time has to be planned and revolve around the kids, they been comibg and going all the tme. Others need to travel to see family too. Free up some space and extra flights for Xmas and give some priority to those who have not been off Island for nearly two years!

    • Anonymous says:

      Why a lockdown? People been traveling in and out all along. If they come back in with covid, they will quarantine. If they are unvaccinated, they will quarantine. Other than that, continue on.

    • Anonymous says:

      The time for lockdown has passed. Covid will be the new reality for the next 5-10 years or more. Protect yourself and others by taking the shots and the booster when the time comes.

  20. Gray Matter says:

    This Government could not get the only flight out of Grand Cayman the day after “Tropical Storm Grace” with the airport closed the morning of Thursday 19th August. The schedule ONLY INTERNATIONAL flight was for 8:00 am , ONE CAYMAN BRAC flight . Airport opened at 9:10 am , with hundreds of people including airport employees outside from 5:30 am .
    The only INTERNATIONAL “ MIAMI FLIGHT” left at 4:30 pm.
    I will bet This will be a total cluster babble %+#@.

    • Anonymous says:

      The babble and bullshit seems to be coming from you. Can you try again?!

    • Anon says:

      Gray Matter?
      Thanks for putting this in writing. The Cayman Islands have to wake up and get punctual!!!!
      Everyone has gone to sleep! Wake up people. Flus and Covid and H1N1 have been around. They will go away. Can we just get back to living, some freedom and moving on? Fear is a bad thing and we have to fight fear.

  21. Anonymous says:

    I’m still waiting to hear what the plan is to protect the vulnerable and children under 12.

    Yes, vaccines will protect against serious disease, but between the Delta variant and waning vaccine efficacy, all of us who are vaccinated are at greater risk too.

    If Government is allowing frontline and tourism workers to remain unvaccinated, then this doesn’t just put their loved ones at risk, it puts every vulnerable person and child under 12 at risk. Children have to be vaccinated to attend school, I don’t see why frontline and tourism workers should be held to the same rules.

    We all know how quickly bugs fly around our community, and Covid will be no exception.

    • Anonymous says:

      Sorry, people only care about young kids when they are one or have one.

    • Anonymous says:

      Ffs: social distance, masks, outdoor activities, hand washing, avoid large groups. Vaccines for everyone that can get one.

    • Anonymous says:

      Sorry, meant to say I don’t see why frontline and tourism workers shouldn’t be held to the same rules.

    • Kevin says:

      Thank you. Its lile I am screaming in a vaccuum at times. Vaccines start to lose strength and guess who is reaching 6 months now??? Guess. Come on guess. All the immunodeficient people.

      Good luck all!!! This is going to be a genocidal event.

      • Anonymous says:

        A little bit of an over reaction there, Kevin. Get your shots, get your booster when they come in. Wear a mask when you can’t social distance. Wash your hands. Avoid large groups.
        And Stop The Panic!

    • Anonymous says:

      The plan is they don’t care about children as much as they do about the money, and if anyones young kid becomes sick with this virus when the powers to be decide our fate for opening, we will have the most to fear from the families effected by the judgment of the few.

      • Anonymous says:

        They have said the risk is low, one or two kids dying is acceptable apparently.

        • Anonymous says:

          Healthy kids aren’t dying from it. Fact.

          Yes, kids ARE catching Delta whereas they rarely caught other variants but they’re doing fine. They catch it, have mostly mild symptoms, get natural immunity and move on.

          If a child has a compromised immune system and/or comorbidities such as obesity or diabetes……that child’s family needs to step up and implement their own additional protection. Boost that child’s immune system with GOOD nutrition and outdoor exercise, add a good daily vitamin, and make sure they are not sleep-deprived. All of their eligible family members must be vaccinated and can use masks/social distancing as well.

          Stop buying into the fear that Government is selling!!!!!!!! Just because a person catches Covid does NOT mean they die from it.

    • Anonymous says:

      Children’s risk is less than it is for the flu. There is no plan needed. Read the data. Do what you have always done before to ward off the flu which probably means doing nothing.

  22. Anonymous says:

    Not with quarantine restrictions they don’t.

  23. Anonymous says:

    U mean see the virus return an another lock down by Christmas

  24. Anonymous says:

    A slow-motion train wreck.

  25. Anonymous says:

    Please note that the airlines are fully transparent. There are NO flights returning to Cayman before November. Whatever the tourism minister is trying to fake… NONE of the airlines are returning before November. Their schedules are available online, and the earliest flight is Air Canada on Nov 3.

    • Anonymous says:

      American Airlines has published flights coming to Cayman and were previously mentioned as returning by the Minister in the news within the last 2 weeks.

      • Anonymous says:

        American Airlines was quite clear. They will not return until there is NO quarantine required. Please continue to believe fake information. But AA is not interested and will be the last to return.

      • Anonymous says:

        10:30pm……

        FYI, published flights mean nothing! Most of the US airlines have shown flights on their schedule throughout Cayman’s lockdown……just like CAL’s ghost flights. These flights are basically “placeholders” in their reservation system.

    • Anon says:

      Not true. Jet blue are flying from New York from oct 14

    • Anonymous says:

      United doesn’t have any flights listed to Cayman until October 31 (Newark and Washington DC) and November 4 (Houston). Even those have “interesting” pricing and might just be placeholders in reservation system.

      Their flight crews got September work schedules two weeks ago. Flight crews get their monthly schedule of trips about 2-3 weeks before the next month starts.

      Sadly, Kenneth actually believes he has influence over airline/cruise companies. This was first evidenced by him stating he’d ask cruiselines to make Cayman their first stop. 🤣

  26. Anonymous says:

    They may be inviting airlines back as of Sept 9 but I bet most will not schedule before 10/14. Visitors are not about to quarantine!

    Also, not sure where he got his info “that some airlines may be introducing mandatory vaccine requirements for passengers” as I’ve heard/seen NOTHING on that. Can’t speak for British/Caribbean airlines but, unless a federal mandate is issued, I doubt US airlines will be making them mandatory.

    • Anonymous says:

      I beg to differ. People are absolutely desperate to come here – you really think 5 days in a nice hotel in the tropics is somehow going to discourage them from coming to a covid free paradise?

      • Anonymous says:

        Yes. You can see but can’t touch. Lol. These people have a week. You think they’ll pay to use it stuck inside?? You troll.

      • Anonymous says:

        Which MLA are you?

      • Anonymous says:

        People may want to come to cayman, but if you think they are desperate, you are nuts. There are many beach locations that are open, welcoming, and cheaper without a quarantine. Most people do not have enough vacation days to justify spending 5,10, or 14 days sitting in a hotel room before beginning their holiday.
        Lastly, Cayman- 680 cases of Covid, 2 deaths.

      • CSF says:

        Yes they will go to other islands which are cheaper and where there is no quarantine.

        This is a good thing in the early days as Cayman needs to work out its systems and get ready, but isn’t sustainable for us beyond December.

      • IthinkNot says:

        A 5-day quarantine WILL discourage people from coming. The 5-day quarantine in reality is at least 6 days and most people vacation for a maximum of two weeks and many can only be away from work for 7 days. The limited number of acceptable proof of vaccine certificates will also prevent many people from traveling to Cayman.

        Desperate to come here…I think not.

      • Anonymous says:

        Except it won’t be a COVID free paradise once it opens up right? Can’t have it both ways.

      • Anonymous says:

        And wouldn’t it be tempting to just nip out to the beach or go to a bar for a quick drink..

      • Anonymous says:

        Nice hotel?

        It’s quarantine not a holiday. I did 14 days at palm heights. Was a terrible experience I’d never do it again.

      • Anonymous says:

        Idiot. They definitely are not queuing at the gates. And as most vacationers from the US and Canada only have a 7 day break, 5 days in isolation isn’t viable.
        But that’s what happens when you concentrate your tourism product on North America.

      • Anonymous says:

        You do not understand the difference between freedom and prison do you? Quarantine is a ‘nice hotel’. Staring at four walls in an enclosed space for 5 days is fun?

      • Anonymous says:

        Yes

      • Anonymous says:

        6:42pm

        You can beg to differ all you want. You are living within a bubble full of fear and misinformation.

        I have lots of friends that have been ANNUAL visitors here for over 30 years and none will waste time/money to quarantine. No one comes here for “a nice hotel in the tropics”. Those are available in many places…..and for much cheaper. People choose to pay more to come here because they love our beaches, seeing/doing stuff and reuniting with family/friends. Nobody wants to pay to look at hotel walls.

        Many persons travel here for a week, so you’re insane to think they’re paying for flights and hotels for a week to have only 2 free days. Besides, half the time HSA takes another 1 to 1.5 days to release you after quarantine so you could very well end up with no free time.

        So many of our regular visitors have traveled to other places that also offer “a nice hotel in the tropics” and have fallen in love with their new vacation spot. Some have said they’ll be back after quarantine requirement is gone but others have said they’re not sure they’ll ever return. People have been vacationing for the last year+ and the fact that those places aren’t “a covid free paradise” has been completely irrelevant.

        • Anonymous says:

          People are also desperate to leave, but there are no flights. The people who can find a flight out, can’t find one back in. Seriously, government officials you need to get going on coordinating with major airlines to move up their schedule and get some flights going sooner than later.

  27. Anonymous says:

    Tourism Stipend? Easy answer to that, must get vaccinated to receive it, cant expect Government to continue giving you $$$ and you not doing your part.

  28. Anonymous says:

    Minister Kenneth Bryan

    I’ve been fully vaccinated twice this year, once by CVS, and I still can’t get the acceptable QR code. I’d love to return to my second home but doing 10 days quarantine (12 in the real world) with US commitments still ongoing is not possible. More flights are not helpful resolving this. I’m guessing I’m not alone in this situation. I can get anything sent directly from the source, notarized or encrypted you wish but getting your QR code with all the anti-vax passport crap going on is nearly impossible in my State. Thankfully, COVID itself is the least of my concerns.

    • Anonymous says:

      We have the same problem. CVS is no help providing information about this QR code. If anyone has any idea, please post it!

    • Anonymous says:

      Just like poster 4:52, my family could show the CDC card or have anything sent from the vaccination center, have it notarized ( and I have no idea about encrypted), but my state has no plans to go digital in the near future. We had our vaccines at a large vaccination center run by the state.

    • Anonymous says:

      Bahamas have a good system of online registration for travel – once everything is uploaded you get your response no later than 1 day. We got ours within 5 mins. That included acceptance of both an HSA vaccine card and a CVS vaccine card. It can be done.

    • Anonymous says:

      They need to amend to state they’ll accept other electronic forms of evidence…..CVS shows our vaccinations in their app. Showing that along with the CDC card should be acceptable.

      That said, I emailed CVS to request QR code and got the following reply:

      “We are writing in follow up to your email. At this time, we please advise for you to log into http://WWW.CVSCARE.com, to view your vaccination records and see the QR code. If you are unable to view this information on the CVSCARE site, please call in so we can further assist.

      We apologize for the inconvenience.

      If you have further questions or require additional assistance, please contact us by email at customercare@cvs.com or by phone at (888) 607-4287.”

      I can’t get into the CVScares section of the website to verify this is viewable but will be calling today for assistance. I suggest that EVERYONE that was vaccinated at CVS email and request access to QR code. Hopefully with enough demand, it will be added as a feature in their app. I’ve seen a few persons ask for this on Twitter so I gave it a shot. Corporations tend to respond to things put on Twitter as it is very public communication. Maybe start a campaign on there!

      • Anonymous says:

        I am 9:44 poster……

        After almost 3 hours on the phone with multiple departments at CVS Corporate/Pharmacy/MinuteClinic, and more emails, not one person I spoke to had heard of SMART Health Card or could even find info on producing a QR code.

        I’m guessing Government will realize that they’re banking on using an unavailable product. They’ll have to switch gears and accept other types of electronic proof. The CVS app has all of the information to corroborate the CDC card. All of it.

    • SameSituation says:

      4:52 I believe there are thousands of us in the same situation. I was part of the Moderna study and I have the CDC vaccine card proving I have been fully vaccinated but Moderna is not going to give me a QR code. My husband was vaccinated at a large vaccine hub and although his records are part of our states vaccine registry there is no plan to have that information available via QR code. My 17 year old son was vaccinated at CVS, I’ve asked them if his vaccine records are part of the SMART Health system and the folks at CVS don’t know what I’m talking about.

      Unless CVS, Walmart and Sams actually roll out the SMART health card system across all states and make it retroactive it means everyone vaccinated at those locations prior to that system being in place will not have access to the SMART proof of vaccination required by CIG. Of course if you were vaccinated in Cali, Louisiana or NY your proof of vaccination is accepted by CIG.

      I am interested to know if anyone vaccinated at CVS, Sams or Walmart has their vaccination information available via SMART health.

      • Anonymous says:

        9:59 CIG choosing SMART Health Card is a joke! It isn’t even implemented yet. 🤦🏻‍♀️

        I’m planning to obtain vaccine records from our state for our CVS vaccines….even though no QR code on it. I’m hoping every extra piece of evidence will help.

        • Anonymous says:

          This won’t be enough unless/until there is flexibility in the law/regulations. Currently they are insisting on QR codes. I’m impacted too (as is my whole family, and many other Caymanians vaccinated overseas) and in discussions with CIG reps. Soon come….

        • Anonymous says:

          It will not. I already called Travel Cayman. QR only or 10 days (12 actual) quarantine. You also know they will not let you leave the island once you arrive until you complete quarantine?

  29. Anonymous says:

    It’s surely highly unlikely that all these WORC people on stipends and handouts are qualified or capable to just step in and immediately be able to do the tourism jobs that expats who left did previously? Seems likely the hotels will need to actually bring in hundreds of new workers on work permits who are experienced and capable in five star luxury service especially for the big hotels. The governemnt should be giving work permit discounts and making it easier to recruit if they want the hotels booming again.

    • Anonymous says:

      All stipend recipients are enjoying staying home and collecting monthly payments.
      Ask them to go to work and they won’t want to give up the life they have become entitled to.
      Caymanians are not responding to job opportunities in the tourism industry , and inevitably foreigners will fill those posts.
      4.51 you are right, they’re not qualified or capable, they are also unwilling.

      • Anonymous says:

        That’s sad, ain’t it!

      • Anonymous says:

        I know one girl who worked in a shop at one of the hotels. She refuses to consider any other type of shop whilst the Government is paying her.

      • Anonymous says:

        Will you stop for a 2nd. And ask yourself, who built the Tourism industry for you to comr and enjoy. The seem unqualified unwilling and not incapable Caymanians for you all to come and take…
        Here is some reason why we Caymanians do not want to work in the industry.
        1-the pay scale is ridiculous
        2- the grats that are collect is not paid 100% to staff
        3- beacuse of the automatic charge of 15% on food & liquor is depleting the great servise that we were famous for back when it was all Caymanians working in the industry.
        My take the minimum wage need to change to CI$10.00. And the Caymanians
        hire/paid on experience only and you would you see a vast difference in Caymanians going back into the tourism industry…
        But hold on if that was to happen you would get a job here…

        • Amanda123@gmail.com says:

          9:41? You seriously need to go back to night school and take an English course! They will teach you to construct sentences properly. Please. It shows that you are almost illiterate. Get back in school!

      • Anonymous says:

        Just proves what I have said all along. Tourism benefits only a few and we should pivot away from it and not have lockdowns and deaths for a low wage industry that employs few Caymanians

    • Anon says:

      I think it’s going to be funny watching the clusterf#$% that will follow as they turn up late, it at all. It’ll damage the industry.

    • Anonymous says:

      kek. Imagine believing any hotel on this island provides 5* service.

  30. Anonymous says:

    Yeah!!!!! So good to hear!! Still waiting till Oct. 14 to even think of booking anything…and then again, still waiting to see if my CDC vaccination card will be accepted as my state will not have digital passport maybe never.

    • Anonymous says:

      https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/business-58309026.amp

      This is why CDC cards will not be accepted…

    • LittleConfidence says:

      4:28 – Don’t hold your breath. I have little confidence CIG will ever accept the CDC vaccination card as verifiable proof. I too live in a state where we will NEVER have a digital passport and I can’t figure out how the heck I can prove to CIG that I’m fully vaccinated. It is quite frustrating.

      • Anonymous says:

        Does your state have an immunization registry that they could maybe print a vaccine record with an official state seal on it? I’m considering looking into this as an additional form of proof. Not sure if feasible or not but can’t hurt to try.

      • Anonymous says:

        Those unvaccinated will NEVER try to fake the fact that they are vaccinated. They are proud to be unvaccinated. They will NOT be carrying a CDC vaccination card.

        I think the answer is to have the card notarized if not able to get digital passport.

        • Anonymous says:

          6:19 Notarizing is a good idea but notaries only confirm signatures as being valid. Still, some sort of “certification” should be enough…..a record from state immunization registry, emails/app info from vaccination site (Walmart, Walgreens, CVS etc). There are many ways to validate CDC card but PACT hasn’t bothered to figure it out yet.

  31. Anonymous says:

    Thank god. I can’t wait to see those beautiful birds return.

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