Saint Lucia Extends a Safe and Warm Welcome to First International Visitors Arriving at Hewanorra International Airport
CASTRIES, SAINT LUCIA – Saint Lucia welcomed the first commercial flight into Hewanorra International Airport (UVF) on July 9, with a full complement of safety protocols in place and the joyful sounds of Steel Pan music playing at the airport.
American Airlines flight 2295 from Miami International Airport (MIA), landed at 2:05pm AST. This was the first flight to arrive since the destination reopened its borders on June 4, 2020 due to COVID-19.
The island is scheduled to welcome Delta from Atlanta and JetBlue from JFK in the coming weeks.
Officials from Saint Lucia Tourism Authority, the Ministry of Tourism, Saint Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority and the Ministry of Health greeted passengers. Various teams assisted with new arrival procedures to ensure a seamless experience navigating the enhanced safety procedures at the airport.
Per COVID-19 protocols, upon arrival all visitors passed through a nurses station for screening before advancing to Customs and Immigration.
After successfully picking up their luggage, arriving passengers proceeded to the exterior of the terminal, where COVID-19 certified taxis provided transportation to certified hotels.
“As our Government and health officials work together on protocols that provide the safest experience possible for visitors and local residents, the arrival of the American Airlines flight from Miami is a symbolic step for the successful safe reopening of Saint Lucia’s tourism industry,” said Minister of Tourism Honourable Dominic Fedee.
Arriving passengers received gift bags with local chocolates, Saint Lucia cocoa tea ingredients with a recipe, hand sanitizer, branded flip-flops, water bottles and handy What You Need To Know guides. Gift bags were packed in a sanitized environment and distributed by representatives wearing protective personal equipment.
To add to the excitement of the first flight arrivals, Saint Lucia will award a holiday prize to one lucky passenger from each air carrier’s first arriving flight. The trip will include a complimentary airfare for two and accommodations at Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa, Marigot Bay Resort and Marina, Stonefield Villa Resort, Sugar Beach – A Viceroy Resort or Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort, redeemable in 2021.
The strategic, phased approach to reopening Saint Lucia’s tourism sector includes comprehensive safety and wellness protocols developed by Government and tourism officials. A COVID-19 Task Force continuously monitors local and global health updates, assessing protocol options to mitigate the possible spread of COVID-19 for visitors and Saint Lucian communities.
For more information about Saint Lucia’s COVID-19 response, all protocols and details of requirements prior to entry, please visit www.stlucia.org/covid-19.
