by Donald Wood
Last updated: 6:55 AM ET, Thu January 21, 2021
The head of the Riviera Maya Hotel Association (AHRM) has announced the vast majority of hotels in the region will provide the necessary antigen COVID -19 tests free of charge to international guests.
According to the Riviera Maya News, AHRM President Antonio Chaves Palomo said hotels in Cancun, Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres have struck a deal with a chain of pharmacies to provide the coronavirus tests required for tourists to return home following an international journey.
Chaves Palomo also believes the tourism situation in the region should improve in 2021 due in part to the continued COVID-19 immunization efforts around the world.
"Canada requests negative PCR tests 72 hours in advance. The test ranges between $100 and $150 per person, which slows the Canadian market's travel intent," Chaves Palomo told the Riviera Maya News. "As of January 26, a negative COVID-19 test will also be mandatory to enter the United States, a country that will accept the antibody test instead of the PCR."
Of the more than 400 hotels in Riviera Maya, AHRM officials revealed that around 80 percent have agreed to provide the antibody test free of charge, with the antigen tests usually costing only around $10 per kit.
"More and more hotel chains are including the antigen test in their rates at no additional cost, which speaks of the great commitment of the industry to demonstrate that we are a safe destination and with the capacity to meet the sanitary standards of our main markets," Chaves Palomo continued.
Last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that international travelers arriving in the U.S. would be required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than three days before the flight.
The new requirements go into effect on January 26 and apply to all passengers two years and older, as well as U.S. citizens returning to America. For those that previously tested positive, they must show documentation of recovery, with the airlines being responsible for verifying the negative test result or post-coronavirus paperwork.
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