Aruba to allow American tourists this weekend; Sint Maarten delays

Aruba is preparing to receive tourists from the United States from Friday, Tourism Minister Dangui Oduber announced. Sint Maarten decided to postpone the date from which American tourists are welcome again from July 1 to August 1, Tourism Minister Ludmilla de Weever said. The Sint Maarten government is keeping an eye on coronavirus infections in the United States and may postpone the date again, he added, AD reports.

On Friday, a total of 700 American tourists are scheduled to arrive on Aruba, with 1,400 following on Saturday and another 700 on Sunday. Before the coronavirus pandemic, Aruba received an average of 20 thousand tourists per week.

According to Minister Oduber, the island is now focused on safety rather than numbers when it comes to tourism. American tourists have always been an important source of income for the island. But given the high number of Covid-19 infections in the United States, the Aruban government opted for care. Safety regulations were established all over the island, and there is sufficient ICU beds available to deal with any new cases, the Minister said.

Sint Maarten opted for extra safety and postponed the date when it will open its borders to American tourists again. The island is open to tourists from Europe and Canada.