Working from home can soon mean working in Barbados for up to a year
Madeline Holcombe, CNN • Updated 14th July 2020
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(CNN) — Those working remotely in the Covid-19 pandemic may soon be able to move the home office to Barbados, according to the Barbados Government Information Service.
Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley announced at the reopening of a bar that the government will soon introduce a 12-month Barbados Welcome Stamp for visitors working remotely, the government information service said earlier this month.
Rapid testing is not readily available for the country in the coronavirus pandemic, which has made short-term travel to Barbados more difficult, Mottley said. The year-long invitation is Barbados' answer to the economic difficulties travel companies and tourist destinations are facing as people all over the world are encouraged to stay home and mitigate the virus' spread.
Mottley hopes industries across the country will become involved in welcoming longer-term travelers.
"You don't need to work in Europe, or the US or Latin America if you can come here and work for a couple months at a time; go back and come back," Mottley said. "But in order for those things to truly resonate, what does it mean? It means that what we offer has to be world-class and what we continue to offer is world-class."
Though slowly and cautiously, some Caribbean Islands have begun reopening their borders for international visitors this month.
Barbados began to reopen its borders July 12, but restrictions are in place to prevent against travelers bringing the virus back into the country.
"On arrival in Barbados, travelers will be required to present evidence of a negative result of a PCR Covid-19 test and bar code to clear immigration," a press release from Barbados Tourism Marketing, Inc. stated.
American Airlines, one of the biggest carriers to the Caribbean, resumed its service between Miami and Antigua in early June.
Air Canada flights into Barbados began Sunday, with British Airways resuming flights from London on July 18 and Jet Blue flights from New York starting July 25, according to a statement from the Barbados Tourism Marketing, Inc.
The country of nearly 300,000 has begun to relax measures within its borders, including physical distancing of three feet, social events with up to 500 patrons, and sporting events with spectators. Barbados has reported 103 coronavirus cases since the pandemic began, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
