CURAÇAO IS LOOSENING COVID-19 PROTOCOLS - AND CELEBRATING WITH FREE HOTEL NIGHTS

The island just lifted its curfew and capacity limit at outdoor restaurants.

The Caribbean island of Curaçao is lifting all on-island coronavirus-era restrictions just in time for summer travel - and is celebrating with free hotel nights for tourists.

Curaçao, a Dutch territory and part of the ABC islands featuring white and black sand beaches, diverse dive sites, and hiking trails, is welcoming back tourists by offering them every fourth night free at participating hotels for travel from June 19 through Oct. 30, the Curaçao Tourist Board shared with Travel + Leisure. Travelers must book by June 29 to take advantage of the promotion.

The offer comes as Curaçao lifts its island-wide nightly curfew for the first time in over a year as well as lifts capacity restrictions on outdoor restaurants and bars, the tourism board noted.

"Having gone through a difficult 2020, the hospitality and tourism industry is now making an aggressive comeback and travelers are eager to getaway this summer," Paul Pennicook, the CEO of the Curaçao Tourist Board, said in a statement provided to T+L. "With an even bigger desire to serve our visitors, paired with new hotel deals and immersive outdoor adventures, Curaçao is primed for travelers to create meaningful experiences this season."

And those looking for a longer vacation can turn WFH into work from paradise by staying up to six months.

The loosening of restrictions comes as the island has seen a COVID-19 positivity rate of just 0.15% over the past three weeks, according to the tourism board. It also comes as vaccines have started to roll out: Curaçao has vaccinated 86,000 people, or about 54.6% of the island's total population.

Several airlines offer direct flights to get to Curaçao, including from Miami and Charlotte on American Airlines and from New York on JetBlue.

All arriving travelers must show proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of their departure and carry a printed result with them, as well as schedule a rapid antigen test they can take on the third day of their trip. Travelers must also complete a Passenger Locator Card 48 hours before their departure and fill out a digital immigration card, and print the... CLICK HERE FOR THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE