- The Bahamas has teamed up with other countries to ban American travelers this summer.
- The popular tourist destination reopened its borders three weeks ago, but has seen an increase in coronavirus cases.
- While international flights from Canada, the UK, and the EU are permitted, Prime Minister Hubert Minnis closed the borders to American visitors on Sunday.
- Visit the Business Insider home page for more stories.
Americans with plans to sunbathe on the beaches of the Bahamas this summer can forget about it.
Prime Minister Hubert Minnis announced Sunday that American tourists are among the banned from the islands due to concerns about the coronavirus.
Bahamasair ceased flights to the United States on Sunday. Commercial flights and vessels are prohibited in the country, with the exception of those coming from Canada, the United Kingdom and the European Union, Minnis said.
“In neighboring countries, hospitals are overwhelmed and deaths are increasing. In some places it is not clear when or how they will control this virus,” said Minnis. “While there are countries that continue to progress, that progress may be reversed due to what is happening in neighboring countries and in other countries.
The tourism ban comes three weeks after the Bahamas reopened its borders for travel. Since then, the country has seen an increase in coronavirus cases.
To accommodate visitors scheduled to depart after July 22, outgoing commercial flights to the United States will be allowed, Minnis said.
Private international flights and charters for Bahamians, residents and visitors will also be allowed. Visitors on yachts are also welcome, Minnis said.
Anyone arriving in the country by air or sea, including residents, must provide a negative COVID-19 test result upon arrival. The test must be carried out within 10 days prior to the date of the visit.
Tourist lies on a deckchair on a beach in Nassau, Bahamas on September 12, 2019.
ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP via Getty Images
Bahamas has identified 153 confirmed cases of coronavirus
Minnis attributed the increase in cases, at least in part, to case management in countries frequented by Bahamians.
“Progress can also be reversed because of how citizens and residents within countries are following or ignoring health guidelines,” he said.
The Bahamas has had 153 confirmed cases of coronavirus, including 11 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
The region is still recovering from the devastating damage caused by Hurricane Dorian last year.
The United States is the largest tourism market for the Bahamas, especially for Florida people, according to USA Today. Florida has seen 350,047 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, with nearly 5,000 deaths, according to state data.
The Bahamas is not the only country that closes its borders otherwise reopened to American tourists.
The European Union and the United Kingdom have also banned American tourists amid growing cases of coronavirus in some regions.
