A popular tropical getaway is going to become even easier to access next month. According to the country’s tourism website, the Turks and Caicos Islands are set to end their COVID-19 vaccination requirement on April 1, 2023. Those arriving in the islands on April 1 or after will no longer be required to provide proof of vaccination or complete a pre-departure travel authorization. Essentially, all restrictions related to COVID-19 will end at the beginning of April.

Though the Turks and Caicos are a British Overseas Territory, they have been allowed to keep their own travel restrictions in place long after the United Kingdom ended their own restrictions. In fact, the Turks and Caicos remained one of the last destinations in the Caribbean to have such mandates in place.

The Turks and Caicos form an archipelago of tropical islands just north of the Dominican Republic, and to the southeast of the Bahamas. They have long been a popular tourist destination due to their outstanding beaches, prototypical tropical weather, and easy accessibility from major American airports. The islands welcomed nearly two million tourists in 2019, and numbers will likely return to that level now that unrestricted travel will be allowed for the first time in three years.

Do I Need Insurance to Visit the Turks and Caicos Islands?

The Turks and Caicos Islands ended their mandatory insurance requirement for visitors on May 1, 2022. Insurance is now optional to have, but something all travelers should consider.

Travel medical insurance for the Turks and Caicos can be extremely valuable if you become sick or get injured during your trip. Like many island locations, medical facilities in the Turks and Caicos are limited. If you get severely injured or ill, emergency medical evacuation may be required. If this is the case, it could cost up to $250,000. And if you don’t have travel medical insurance, you could be responsible for paying the entirety of this cost yourself. 

American residents visiting the Turks and Caicos should consider travel insurance. It can help protect your nonrefundable, prepaid trip costs due to trip cancellation, and reimburse you for costs related to unexpected events like trip interruption or travel delay. In addition, most plans can cover emergency medical treatment as well.