St Maarten to lift all travel restrictions next month

St Maarten announced that it would be dropping its travel protocols, including the Electronic Health Authorisation System (EHAS) form, on November 1, 2022.

Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, Omar Ottley, said the development comes as the island moves towards a new phase of living with coronavirus (COVID-19).

"St Maarten has done exceptionally well in its fight against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) COVID-19. The Country is now fully engaged in restoring economic activity, and one key aspect of economic revitalisation is the return of visitors in large numbers. At the same time, while we concentrate on rebuilding our Tourism destination, our work will continue to protect the population, including our visitors," said Ottley in a press release after meeting with the St Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA) on Thursday.

SHTA had been pushing the government to remove the COVID-19 protocols since as they claim it can limit the territory’s growth.

Ottley said the World Health Organisation is still advocating for proper safety measures against contracting COVID-19 since the pandemic is not over.