Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

This Caribbean island is open...but only to the rich

This Caribbean island is open...but only to the rich

A holiday on the volcanic island requires a $70,000 salary and an open calendar, but things are about to change.

There are plenty of reasons why you might want to visit the black sand beaches of Montserrat, with its stunning and varied terrain.

But unless you earn $70,000 a year, travelling to the Caribbean island currently isn’t an option.

In a bid to keep COVID-19 out while maintaining some tourist revenue, Montserrat opened its borders in April this year, to only the wealthiest holidaymakers. Those who can afford the steep entry fee, and a two-month minimum vacation.

To date, only 21 people from seven high-flying families have met the government’s selective criteria, the New York Times reports.

For the steep price-tag, they have got to experience an oasis from the health crisis still gripping the world. There have been only 33 cases and one COVID-19 related death on the island - which is roughly the size of Barcelona - so there are no visible measures like mask-wearing in place.

For Montserrat’s first tourists, this was a big part of the appeal. “I remember toward the beginning of the pandemic, I was like, man, I wonder if there’s places in the world that are not dealing with any of this craziness,” Ms. Bajkor told the New York Times.

“There’s nothing that can kill you here except the volcano,” she said. The Soufriere Hills volcano last erupted in 1995, and a daily warning system continues to monitor its activity.

A controversial experiment


In order to make sure the tourists don’t pose a threat to Montserratians, vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers alike must quarantine for two weeks on arrival and take a COVID-19 test.

Less than a quarter of the nearly 5,000 inhabitants are vaccinated, so an outbreak of the virus could be devastating. This week there are five reported cases on the Caribbean island, all of whom are in quarantine, according to a spokesperson for the Office of the Premier’s Tourism Division.

Andrew Myers, a scuba shop owner, questioned why only people who made more than $70,000 were invited, as a lower barrier to entry could have drawn more trade.

Other Montserratians have reportedly lamented that family members couldn’t visit from nearby islands, because the island has halted the ferry service.

Opening up in October


The island’s strict entry rules are about to change however. From 1 October, all vaccinated tourists will be welcome on Montserrat. The minimum stay stipulation has been quietly dropped too.

Given that COVID-19 is under control on the Caribbean island, most European countries should have no problem with nationals travelling there. The UK government has put the island, which is a British territory, on its quarantine-free green travel list.

The UK does have a warning for natural disasters, however, as two-thirds of the island are vulnerable to volcanic activity. There has been no major volcanic activity since February 2010, but it cannot be ruled out.

Montserrat is also currently in its hurricane season, which normally runs from June to November.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Mayor in western Germany in intensive care after stabbing
Australian government pays Deloitte nearly half a million dollars for a report built on fabricated quotes, fake citations, and AI-generated nonsense.
BYD’s UK Sales Soar Nearly Nine-Fold, Making Britain Its Biggest Market Outside China
Latvia to Bar Tourist and Occasional Buses to Russia and Belarus Until 2026
Wave of Complaints Against Apple Over iPhone 17 Pro’s Scratch Sensitivity
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
×