New Delhi (NVI): The Caribbean island of Aruba has a new proposal for travelers to come live and work in paradise for up to three months, Evelyna Christina Wever-Croes, Prime Minister of Aruba said.
“As a Caribbean island where 80 per cent of GDP is linked to tourism, Aruba has had to think creatively about how to withstand the COVID-19 pandemic,” said the Prime Minister of Aruba at World Economic Forum’s Sustainable Development Impact Summit.
The latest offering “One Happy Workation” program is aimed at digital nomads, who can email or Zoom from anywhere, take up vacation of up to three months at the beaches.
As a bonus, Aruba is offering hotel and accommodation packages, which include special rates, complimentary WiFi, and an all-inclusive food and beverage option.
Under this, tourists arriving from countries including the United States and Europe’s Schengen does not need a visa, while the country has a high-tech approach to COVID-19 testing.
Meanwhile, tourists visiting from several other countries are required to upload a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours before departure. The test must be uploaded online at least 8 hours before the flight via an app.
Aruba PM further said, “Our ambitions are not only geared towards bouncing back but bouncing forwards with accelerated innovation.”
Globally, the pandemic has hit the travel and tourism industry hard. A worst-case scenario for 2020 predicts USD 5.5 trillion lost in GDP in this year along with almost 200 million job cuts as a result of COVID-19.
“Helping the industry recover will mean focusing on safety, small group trips, access to nature and sustainability, participants in the session agreed,” Christina added.
So far, Aruba has reported over 3,800 confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University.
-RJV
