WILLEMSTAD - The antigen test remains mandatory for tourists who want to visit Curaçao. Prime Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath announced this on Friday afternoon during an information briefing. Several interest groups raised the alarm a few days earlier. They want the test to be abolished.
According to the Curaçao Hospitality & Tourism Association (CHATA), the antigen test, which must be taken three days after arrival on the island, in addition to the PCR test required before departure, deters tourists from coming to the island on vacation. That would explain the low number of visiting tourists. Tourism on Curaçao is slowly picking up again. In May 2019, 36,386 tourists came to Curaçao on holiday. Last month that was 76 percent less. Aruba is doing a lot better. They received no less than 70,000 tourists in May. Aruba is therefore already at almost 80 percent of the number of tourists in the same month in 2019.
Relaxations
“Since the start of the last lockdown, we have been intensively working with the government to see how we can make the stay of tourists as good as possible. The relaxation was very important in that tourists can go to the beach or to a restaurant again," says Maria-Helena Seferina-Rojas, managing director of the Chata. “When our island got code yellow again for Dutch visitors, the bookings were actually very disappointing. That is why we have commissioned an independent survey among tourists. It emerged that the antigen test in addition to the PCR test is a reason for many tourists not to come to Curaçao. Because this measure also applies to people who have already been fully vaccinated. People don't understand that."
Filter
According to GP Jerry Semper, the antigen test works very well and filters out people who had a negative PCR test, but are still infected. “I think the antigen test should stay. We cannot afford to have a second scenario like in March, where there was a huge increase in the number of infections. Man does what he cannot resist. They like to get together. But Covid is not gone. It's still there. And since 30 percent of adult people are unvaccinated and 50 percent of the population, I think the antigen test should stay.”