TORONTO — The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority is advising agents that Air Canada has been forced to temporarily cancel its flights to the destination.

The suspension is part of broader service cuts announced by Air Canada in recent days, as it navigates severely reduced demand for air travel during the pandemic and especially in the wake of new mandatory pre-boarding PCR test requirements, effective Jan. 7 after one week’s notice, for passengers flying back to or arriving in Canada.

Last week Air Canada announced it was further reducing its system capacity for the first quarter of 2021 by an additional 25%, impacting several routes in Atlantic Canada, B.C., NWT and more.

Air Canada’s cuts to the St. Vincent and the Grenadines route takes effect Jan 23 and goes until at least April 11. Normally Air Canada flies weekly nonstops from Toronto Pearson to Argyle International Airport.

On Jan. 11, in response to the continued increase of COVID-19 cases in Canada, the U.S. and other countries in the high risk category, St. Vincent and the Grenadines had announced its latest phase (#10) of entry protocols, which now include a mandatory 14-day quarantine upon arrival, along with a negative SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR COVID-19 test result.

Normally he destination gets a steady market from Canada, and numbers will no doubt ramp up again once travel resumes, especially in light of the July 2020 announcement that Sandals Resorts International is planning to open a new Beaches Resorts property in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. For the development Sandals Resorts International has acquired Buccament Bay Spa and Resort, closed since 2016.

The tourism board’s Toronto office is staffed by employees working remotely, and can be reached at (416) 630-9292, or by cell at (416) 575-1871, or email svgta.ca@discoversvg.com.