26th May, 2021

At the latest State of the Industry Meeting held, the board and members of the Antigua and Barbuda Marine Association (ABMA) agreed unanimously to support the Antigua and Barbuda vaccination programme.

President Franklyn Braithwaite who is also proprietor of A & F Sails has had feedback from a number of super yacht representatives that the yachts will not be allowing people on board unless they are vaccinated. ‘The industry is making their concern very clear, that vaccination is the only option if you want to work on board the yachts. The yachts are private properties and as such the owners can dictate their own policies. While we are not insisting businesses vaccinate their staff, the market is requesting it. If we want to continue to be a first class yachting destination that can support the industry, we as businesses are going to have to ensure ourselves and our teams have been vaccinated.’

The significance of this feedback should not be ignored by all service providers whether rigging, electronic, sailmaking, yacht agents, day workers. All service companies will be required to follow protocols set by the yachts.

The industry has had a relatively buoyant year despite the lack of events but Braithwaite re-iterates, ‘Ultimately yachting is an essential part of the creation of revenues for Antigua and Barbuda. If our customers are requesting our workers to be vaccinated, then we need to support the programme in order to ensure that for the next yachting season 2021/2022 our industry can get the growth we are hearing is going to happen following the pandemic.’