Beaches and Airports Ready to Open in Latin America

Latin American countries are preparing to open beaches and airports despite the COVID-19 advancing in the region, which has become the world's epicenter of the pandemic with 4.7 million cases and over 160.000 deaths.

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Although Ecuador has registered 87,963 COVID-19 cases and 5,808 deaths so far, President Lenin Moreno's administration ordered the opening of beaches in five provinces.

"The reactivation of the beaches in Ecuador needs the co-responsibility of the citizens to comply with social distancing and avoid crowds," Tourism Minister Rosi Prado announced.

Honduras will resume flight operations at its four airports on August 10, the Civil Aeronautics Agency Director Wilfredo Lobo reported.

While Brazil reached 2,801,921 COVID-19 cases and 95,819 deaths, President Jair Bolsonaro authorized the air border reopening last week. Nevertheless, he extended for another 30 days the prohibition of entry by land and sea.

In the Caribean, the Dominican Republic, which records 74,295 cases and 1,213 deaths, opened its airports and touristic sites since July.

Cuba has also reopened its beaches to international tourism since the pandemic is being controlled very successfully. So far, this country has only registered 2,775 COVID-19 cases, most of which correspond to patients who have been discharged.

The pandemic has created additional economic pressures on Latin American countries, which hope the resumption of tourist services will improve their growth prospects.

"If we don't have a lucky punch, 2020 will be a lost year," the World Tourism Organization (WTO) regional director Alejandro Varela said.