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As we head towards what we all hope could be the end of COVID-19, destinations will have to be very clever and highly innovative to compete with each other in providing COVID-19 safety, security and reassurance to their visitors.

Over in Jamaica, Jamaica Cares, a ground-breaking compulsory traveller protection and emergency services program is set to launch next month, providing visitors with access to a first-of-its kind traveller protection and emergency medical and crisis response services for events up to and including natural disasters.

Jamaica Cares is a partnership coordinated and administered by the Global Tourism Resilience Crisis Management Centre, with support from the Global Travel and Tourism Resilience Council, Global Rescue, and leading international and national insurance companies, with for a compulsory $USD40, Jamaica Cares will provide visitors to Jamaica with access to compulsory traveller protection and emergency medical services, including:

  • Case management;
  • Transport logistics;
  • Field rescue;
  • Evacuation and repatriation for medical emergencies, including COVID-19 and other crises up to and including natural disasters;
  • International health coverage up to $100,000 USD for visitors traveling to and from Jamaica; and
  • On-island health coverage up to $50,000 USD

The Hon. Edmund Bartlett, Co-chairman, Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre said, “Jamaica Cares delivers an unmet need in the travel industry by providing primary medical coverage and medical evacuation services.”

“Jamaica Cares is a comprehensive, mandatory program to increase traveller protection from the time they leave home until returning.”

“The traveller knows they’re protected, and they know other travellers are, too.”

“That’s what’s needed to give confidence to travellers when they are ready to travel.”

Dr. Taleb Rifai, Former Secretary General of the UNWTO and Co-Chair of the Centre and the Global Travel and Tourism Resilience Council said, “Jamaica is the first country to facilitate a partnership for a comprehensive pandemic safety response program.”

“Visitors to Jamaica are better prepared and protected because of the cooperative arrangement coordinated via the Global Tourism Resilience Crisis Management Centre with a leading travel crisis management provider and two travel health insurance firms.“

Professor Lloyd Waller, the Executive Director of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre, said, “We have to protect both our visitors and the people of Jamaica.”

The $USD40 compulsory fee will be included as part of the Jamaica Travel Authorization application, which will trigger automatic participation in the Jamaica Cares program, with participation mandatory for all non-Jamaican passport holders.

The organisers say that traveller attitudes consistently show a powerful willingness to pay for increased safety protections during travel and an international traveller sentiment survey, conducted by Price Waterhouse Coopers, revealed safety is paramount in making travel decisions for which consumers are willing to pay.

A Global Rescue survey of more than 2,200 frequent travellers found 90+% of respondents said they would feel safer if they and all travellers had services and protections for medical emergencies, including COVID-19, and door-to-door emergent coverage.

Dan Richards, CEO Global Rescue said, “If an emergency medical situation arises, including COVID-19, Global Rescue will support Jamaican authorities in executing established emergency action plans including: access to case management, transport logistics, evacuation and repatriation for any medical emergency, including COVID-19, and monitoring from diagnosis through repatriation”.

Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, said, “I would like to congratulate all those involved in the implementation of the Jamaica Cares program, which will no doubt help to restore traveller confidence and aid the recovery of the travel & tourism sector.”

Could this be a lesson for other destinations to emulate to give travellers greater confidence and drive visitation?

Sounds very good to me.

What do you think?

A report by John Alwyn-Jones