British Virgin Islands and Grenada drop test on arrival rule

Fully vaccinated arrivals in the British Virgin Islands, including cruise passengers and crew, are no longer required to test for Covid-19 on arrival.

Grenada has also dropped its requirement for fully vaccinated visitors to take a PCR test on arrival and quarantine for 48 hours. Instead, all visitors over the age of five need to have a negative PCR test result, taken no more than three days before travel to the region.

For visitors to the BVIs (pictured), travellers have to produce a negative PCR or approved rapid antigen test taken no later than 48 hours before arrival. Fully vaccinated passengers presenting proof of vaccination and a negative test result are also no longer required to pre-register on a dedicated portal.

Protocols on the BVIs for unvaccinated and partially vaccinated travellers are unchanged, including a requirement to seek travel authorisation, test on arrival and quarantine for up to seven days.

Clive McCoy, tourism director for the BVIs, said: “Our government has taken a phased approach to reopening the territory during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We are very encouraged with the response from travellers to the phased relaxation of our protocols, as our tourism partners have reported strong bookings for the 2021/2022 tourism season, reminiscent of pre-pandemic numbers.

“However, we still caution guests and the local population to strictly adhere to all the existing protocols that will ensure our safety, including, social distancing, mask wearing and observing hygiene and sanitisation best practices.”

In Grenada, visitors need to fill out a health declaration form and will undergo a health screening on arrival, which involves a review of symptoms and temperature checks.

Petra Roach, chief executive of the Grenada Tourism Authority, said: “Getting to Grenada is now a whole lot easier and we are delighted to continue to welcome visitors back with open arms and fewer restrictions.

“The new travel protocols couldn’t have come at a better time, and we will continue to monitor and evaluate the ongoing situation. As always, ensuring the safety of our people and visitors is our utmost priority.”