Cayman Islands Department of Tourism Operational Update

Following recent government led policy announcements in the Cayman Islands related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (CIDOT) continues to put forward measures to ensure continuity of business without compromising staff safety.

“The mitigation and contingency plans put forward by our government are meant to keep us all safe during this crisis. For the tourism industry, that means a change in how we do business with our valued guests and one another,” commented Mrs. Rosa Harris, Director of Tourism. “Noting that circumstances are changing fluidly, our goal is to ensure that our sector’s needs in doing business with my team are met in the safest way possible for all parties.”

Critical areas of business have been updated as follows:

• Operating hours for the department remain Monday through Friday, 8:30AM to 5:00PM in both Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac

* The main DOT phone number will be manned during this time at 244-1250

* Limited staff contingency will be in office each day however phone calls and emails will be responded to in a timely manner

* No visitors will be allowed into the DOT offices

• Hotel Accommodation Taxes will be collected via a drop box located in the lobby of the Government Administration Building.

* Payments must be made by cheque or Cayman Islands local bank draft; the department will not accept cash payments until further notice

* Notification of a payment submission must be sent to the accounts receivable team via email at AR@caymanislands.ky or by calling 345-244-1250

• Hotel Licensing Inspections for the accommodations sector are postponed until further notice

• All scheduled PRIDE training sessions are be postponed in short term which a goal of moving to live virtual training sessions. More information in the coming days will be provided.

Additionally, status update surveys will be issued to tourism partners as the CIDOT continues to gauge the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis in the Cayman Islands.“Our sector is already feeling the effect of this pandemic in ways that are unavoidable as we must prioritize protecting our borders and all who live here,” shared Mrs. Harris.“We encourage all of our partners to participate in the official surveys issued by CIDOT for our research team to accurately represent tourism in the ongoing discussions within government.”

All persons who have tourism and travel specific questions should visit the CIDOT corporate website, Our Cayman, at www.ourcayman.ky. The FAQs section will be regularly updated as the situation continues to evolve.

For official information regarding the Cayman Islands’ ongoing response to the coronavirus, please visit www.gov.ky/coronavirus and www.hsa.ky/coronavirus.