The Cayman Islands are closed for tourism at least until September 9. People traveling for essential reasons will be asked to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test and undergo a mandatory 5-10 day mandatory quarantine.

People who get their vaccines in the Islands or in the U.K., only need to quarantine for 5 days.

The Cayman Islands are one of the safest places in the Caribbean to visit during COVID. According to CDC, the warning level is 1 and the risk of getting or spreading COVID-19 is low.

The Cayman Islands Reopening Tourism – Latest updates

Cayman Islands reopening for tourism - travel restrictions

July 26 – Cayman Islands’ borders to remain close for international tourism until at least September 9, said Minister

Effective July 19, tourists willing to visit the Cayman Islands will need to justify the motives they have to travel to the territory, said Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan at the Finance Committee.

Inbound and outbound flights continue to be permitted for essential travel only and it is not possible to travel for leisure at the moment.

Returning nationals, students, and people traveling for medical treatments are among the people who could be allowed entry.

These visitors will need to submit their “reasons to travel” to Cayman Airways for evaluation and approval.

Source: Cayman News Service

July 14 – Cayman Islands’ Five-phase plan to reopen for international tourism will permit fully vaccinated travelers to comeback from October 14

The Cayman Island Department of Tourism launched a five-phase plan to reopen for tourism by January 2022.

“My colleagues and I in government have worked tirelessly to develop this phased approach in preparation for the opening of our borders to international travelers – and we are pleased to announce the wait for paradise is almost over! Our guests will appreciate the impactful developments and enhancements we’ve made to the destination – surely proving that Cayman is worth the wait,” said Minister for Tourism and Transport, Hon. Kenneth Bryan on Monday.

Here is what the plan looks like:

Phase 1: Reduced Quarantine Period – July 2021: Fully vaccinated travelers will only need to quarantine for 5 days.

Phase 2: Reduced Repatriation Restrictions – August 9, 2021: Travelers will not be GPS monitored anymore.

Phase 3: Limited Introduction of Tourism, September 9, 2021: A limited number of vaccinated travelers will be allowed entry.

Phase 4: Reduced Quarantine Restrictions, October 14, 2021: Fully vaccinated travelers will no longer need to quarantine.

Phase 5: Travel for Unvaccinated Children, November 18, 2021: unvaccinated children (under age 12) will be allowed entry.

Welcome Back “phase”, January 27, 2022: Cayman Islands will be welcoming travelers without travel restrictions.

Source: Cision Newswire

July 1 – the Cayman Islands reintroduces a 10-day quarantine for fully vaccinated visitors from June 25

Two days after reducing mandatory quarantine to 5 days for fully vaccinated travelers, Cayman Island authorities decided to give that benefit only to people who have been vaccinated in the Islands or in the U.K.

This new policy will continue until certificates from other countries can be securely verified by authorities in Cayman, said the outgoing interim director of Travel Cayman, Matthew Hylton.

Due to these and other restrictions the tourism industry is struggling to survive. Cayman Islands Tourism Association president Marc Langevin has stated the territory has only seen 5,000 visitors since the pandemic began.

Source: CaymanCompass

June 19 – Cayman Island will reduce quarantine to 5 days for fully vaccinated travelers from June 23

It has been more than 300 days since the Cayman Islands recorded their last case of community transmission of COVID-19. With only 2 deaths so far, the government continues to be especially cautious about keeping the virus out of their borders.

Effective June 23, vaccinated visitors will see their mandatory quarantine reduced to only 5 days.

What remains unknown is the date this British overseas territory will fully reopen for tourism.

“Our plan is based on a number of people vaccinated so that the vulnerable in our community, who can’t get vaccinated, are protected. Once we do reopen our border, and we will, in our plan we will slowly reintroduce tourism without having thousands of people at the airport.” said Premier Wayne Panton on Wednesday.

(Source: Cayman Compass)

June 5 – Cayman Islands to reduce quarantine from 10 to 5 days after summer.

The Cayman Island is considering reducing the quarantine requirement from 10 to 5 days – probably – after summer.

But not everything is good news. The government also plans to introduce a compulsory vaccine requirement for future overseas work permit holders and for those workers who want to have their permit renewed.

Premier Wayne Panton still considers this whole process a risk for the nation. “This process obviously involves an increase in risk for us, … our success depends on a number of factors, not just our own internal preparations but what is happening in the… gateway countries,” he said.

What is clear is that borders are unlikely to reopen in summer. This is because according to the Panton, nothing was ready for the new governor to start working on a full reopening plan.

(Source: Cayman Compass)

Update May 21 – The Cayman Islands remains closed for tourism while the new Tourism Minister pressures the industry leaders to hire more locals.

As weird as it sounds, it is exactly what the recently appointed Cayman Islands Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan is doing. At a meeting with the Cayman Islands Tourism Association last week, Bryan said rehiring Caymanians back on the industry was a win-win.

“The COVID pandemic has presented us with a timely opportunity to correct the imbalance that has existed for too long within our tourism workforce,” ¨[…] “Integrating more Caymanians into the vacant roles is a win-win situation that will add more authenticity to our tourism product, while providing Caymanians with the ability to be gainfully employed and able to support themselves and their families.”

However, the same Minister, as well as other government spokesmen, stressed they won’t reopen for tourism until more than 60% of its population is vaccinated. Meaning, there’s still a long way to go.

Update May 3 – The Cayman Islands has not reopening in sight

With 55% of its population having received a first shot of a COVID-19 vaccine, the Cayman Islands’ authorities still do not feel comfortable about reopening the country for massive international tourism in the near future.

According to data from the Public Health Institute, every week, several travelers who have provided a negative test and a vaccine certificate have also tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival.

With a current vaccination rate of just above 200 people per day, international hotel chains get ready for another summer without international visitors.

“At the time the closure was announced, it was expected that it would involve 30 days of suspended operations”, Westin hotel manager Jim Mauer said.

“Based on what we are seeing, we will have a V-shaped recovery,” he said. “There is a lot of pent-up demand and it is quite possible that 2022 could be a very healthy year for the Cayman Islands.”

As for now, this hotel chain and others will target the local school summer holidaymakers.

Update April 1 – One of the safest places in the world

Cayman Islands is one of the safest places in the world to travel to during COVID-19. This is not an opinion but data collected from the CDC that ranks the country as such, and from its successful vaccination program.

As of today, the country has already fully vaccinated 29% percent of its population and 30,479 has received at least one shot of the Pfizer vaccine. The country is progressively making its way towards vaccinating 75-80% of its people this year, which was the target at the beginning of its vaccination rollout.

Special groups of people who are allowed entry to the Cayman Islands

People in one following categories can currently enjoy the beautiful Cayman Islands.

Nationals and permanent residents
Allowed workers and their families.
People who own properties in the Cayman Islands.
Students.
Spouses, fiancés, parents, grandparents, children and siblings of permanent residents.
Travelers approved on the Global Citizen Concierge Program.

Are the Cayman Islands open to American tourists?

Starting October 2020, the Cayman Islands’ government has allowed some American tourists to visit the island country. Aside from permanent residents and work permit holders also visitors with close family ties to residents or work permit holders such as spouses, fiancés, parents, grandparents, children and siblings are being allowed visiting.

For further information click here.

Is health insurance a must?

Yes. It is, at least for now. Visitors will need to submit proof of health insurance that covers COVID-19-related costs. They could also show proof of wealth enough to cover any medical treatment while in the islands.

Are Airports open in the Cayman Islands?

Owen Roberts International Airport, located in Grand Cayman, is open and serving inter-island travel to allowed visitors.

COVID-19 situation in the Cayman Islands

COVID-19 cases in Cayman Islands — Source

The Cayman Islands is one of the safest places on earth regarding COVID-19 infections. As of today, the country has 16 active cases and only 2 deaths.

Quarantine requirements

As of now, travelers will be expected to quarantine from 10-14 days regardless of where they come from or the results of your COVID-19 tests.

Starting June 23, fully vaccinated can cut the quarantine to only 5 days.

Traveler Form

You need to apply for an Approval to Travel. Complete the form and submit the necessary documents.

Can people quarantine at their chosen hotel/rental property?

Probably not. The available options for accommodation during your quarantine are:

Government quarantine facility
Private quarantine facility
Personal residence. You will need to wear a geofencing device.

Choose one of these when you complete your travel application. Before travelling you will be notified if your chosen accommodation for quarantine was approved.

What general safety measures are enforced in the Cayman Islands?

The government relies on sensible policies and personal responsibility to maintain a COVID-19 safe zone within the islands. These are some of the tools they use to do protect locals and visitors