The Chief Executive Officer of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, Colin James believes that the CDC’s ratings will not significantly impact tourist arrivals.
James told Observer that most travelers don’t pay much significance to these CDC advisories.
Despite the influx of visitors to Antigua and Barbuda over the past weeks via air arrivals and cruise vessels, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to advise Americans to avoid travel to Antigua and Barbuda.
According to the CDC’s website Antigua and Barbuda is still listed as a Level 4 country – categorized as having a “Very High Level of Covid-19”.
Antigua and Barbuda was most recently placed in that listing by the CDC back in September of this year, when active Covid cases were hovering around 1000.
Since then, the Covid situation has improved significantly, but there has been no adjustment to the rating so far.
James said also that the ratings are usually very outdated.
In recent weeks, countries like Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis and St Vincent & the Grenadines have had their CDC ratings dropped to Level 3 and Level 2.
Antigua and Barbuda, however, is joined by countries like Barbados, the Cayman Islands and Dominica that also remain in the Level 4 category.