Aruba prepares reopening to visitors

Stringent hygiene certification program launched to combat COVID-19

Aruba is gearing up to welcome inbound tourists again in its pristine shores.

Officials are eyeing an official date sometime between June 15 and July 2020, but while they’re at it, they have released a stricter set of health protocols to be implemented to protect the island and its visitors from the highly-contagious coronavirus.

In a report, the Aruba Tourism Authority and the Department of Public Health is said to have come up with the new “Aruba Health & Happiness Code.”

The said cleaning and hygiene certification program will be mandatory to all tourism-related businesses in Aruba.

Moreover, the certification will “provide assurance that each business has taken every measure to offer a safe environment for employees and guests.” The seal of approval will then be displayed on all tourism hubs. Certified businesses can also be verified on Aruba’s Department of Public Health website.

“As we prepare to reopen our borders, it is critical to evolve and innovate as a tourism destination to protect our local community and future travelers once they reach our shores,” Danguillaume Oduber, the Minister of Tourism, Public Health and Sport of Aruba, said in a statement.

“We want all visitors to feel reassured in traveling to our One Happy Island,” he added.

Guidelines disseminated in island’s tourism sector

Aruba’s tourism department has already coordinated the following guidelines to the hotels in the island:

• Extra cleaning during luggage handling
• Elevator safety
• Housekeeping guidelines
• Food and beverage service

The inbound tourists, meanwhile, should “expect such measures as plexiglass barriers at desks, digital keys and contactless check-in, thorough disinfecting of all public spaces and rooms, and more.”

The above-mentioned protocols will also extend to national parks, such as the renowned Arikok National Park, and other popular tourist attractions.

“For the first time ever, the [Arikok National] Park will permanently ban ATVs (starting June 1) and UTVs (starting October 31) from protected areas,” a separate press release from the tourism board said. “This will help preserve nature and limit how many people can access the park, ultimately providing a more intimate experience for visitors.”

The island’s airport, meanwhile, will be implementing health screenings and temperature checks with on-site medical professionals.

Airport staff will be wearing mandatory personal protective equipment (PPE), shields, and safeguards.

Since March 17, there have been 101 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 3 deaths in Aruba, recent data from the World Health Organisation showed.