As more Caribbean countries close their air and sea borders
to incoming travelers because of the Covid-19 pandemic, hotel and resort
closures continue to grow.
The Bahamas’ borders are closed and a 24-hour curfew went
into effect on March 24 by order of Prime Minister Hubert Minnis, which
affected most properties, including Atlantis Paradise Island, which is closed through
May 15 “at which time we will assess whether or not it is safe to reopen,” said
resort president Audrey Oswell.
Oswell said that reservation agents would contact booked guests
and that further information could be found at Atlantis’ website.
Approximately 600 hotels accounting for 80,000 hotel rooms
have closed in the Dominican Republic after the government closed land, air and
sea ports to limit the entry of persons with Covid-19, according to Paola
Rainieri, president of the Dominican Republic Association for Hotels and
Tourism.
The closures include Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, which
announced on March 25 that its seven all-inclusive properties in the Dominican
Republic, three resorts in Jamaica, three in Brazil and 11 in Mexico have
closed their doors until May 1.
For new and existing stays booked by April 30 for travel
from May 1 to Dec. 21, 2020, there is no penalty for cancellations 24 hours or
more before arrival. A cancellation within 24 hours will result in a one-night
penalty, said Brett Warbrick, Iberostar’s senior vice president sales and
marketing.
Spice Island Beach Resort in Grenada is closed through April
30. Reservations lines will continue to be active for new bookings or and rebookings.
Moon Palace Jamaica is closed to May 1.
St. Lucia’s BodyHoliday and Rendezvous resorts are closed
through May 31, according to Rebecca Platt, director of sales and marketing at
SunSwept Resorts, which owns the properties.
Guests will receive a credit to rebook within 12 months of
their original travel dates. Vacationers who cannot travel to the resorts
during the rebooking period will receive a full refund.
Guests who make new reservations through May 31 can cancel
the booking without penalty within seven days of arrival.
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