The Bahamas has decided not to move forward with stricter pre-arrival testing for visitors.

This week, The Bahamas has revised its entry requirements for tourists, retracting its earlier plan to mandate negative pre-departure PCR tests exclusively for vaccinated travelers.

In an official statement, tourism officials announced, "The Bahamas has suspended the required RT-PCR testing for vaccinated travelers, which was slated to begin on January 7, 2022." They noted that vaccinated individuals and children aged 2-11 can continue to present either a negative rapid antigen test or a negative RT-PCR test.

This decision arrives as the nation experiences a surge in COVID-19 cases linked to the omicron variant. Just weeks after lowering its risk alert for The Bahamas, the CDC has escalated it back to Level 3: High Level of COVID-19. At this level, the agency recommends that travelers be "fully vaccinated before visiting The Bahamas," advising unvaccinated individuals to steer clear of non-essential trips to the islands.

Bahamian authorities have revised testing protocols for entry into the country. All visitors planning to stay for more than 48 hours are now required to undergo a rapid antigen test, irrespective of their vaccination status. Previously, this requirement applied only to tourists who stayed longer than four nights and five days. A list of approved testing locations on the islands can be found here.

Additional changes to the entry requirements for The Bahamas include:

• All travelers heading to the islands, whether vaccinated or not, must present a negative COVID-19 test conducted no more than three days (72 hours) before their arrival in The Bahamas, reduced from the previous five-day limit. Travelers need to upload their negative test results when applying for a Bahamas Travel Health Visa.
• Vaccinated travelers and all children aged 2-11 can show either a negative rapid antigen test or an RT-PCR test.
• Unvaccinated travelers aged 12 and older must provide a negative RT-PCR test (acceptable types include NAAT, PCR, RNA, RT-PCR, and TMA).
• Children under two years old are exempt from any testing requirements.

Learn about TPG reporter Zach Griff's journey to The Bahamas, including his stay at The Ocean Club, a Four Seasons resort on Paradise Island, by reading more here.