Caribbean Tourism Articles

10 Ways To Improve The Caribbean Tourism Product Post COVID-19 by Ursula Petula Barzey, Caribbean & Co., 2020

Critical to attracting visitors back to their destinations will be improving their tourism product along with their marketing efforts. Here are ten recommendations for Caribbean destinations to improve their tourism product and marketing activity moving forward.

• Also by Ursula Petula Barzey: 5 Essential Elements For Developing Sustainable Tourism In The Caribbean, 2019
  Learn about these five essential elements for developing sustainability in the Caribbean including investing in community tourism and virtual tourism.

Applying magic to Caribbean tourism by Cdr. Bud Slabbaert, The Nassau Guardian, 26 April 2022.

"Caribbean authenticity can not only be preserved, but it can actually be enhanced and made unique.". Originally posted November 5, 2021.

BTA Encourages All To ‘Rethink Tourism’ On World Tourism Day, Bermuda Real, September, 2022

"The Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) joins member representatives of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation in marking World Tourism Day on September 27, 2022.  ‘Rethink Tourism’ is the theme for the global tourism initiative and centres around building fresh, sustainable approaches to tourism in a post-pandemic environment. In alignment with the theme, and Bermuda’s National Tourism Plan, the guiding document for the island’s tourism sector envisions a growing and practical tourism future that incorporates balanced seasonality and rewarding benefits for all stakeholders with the goal of a more sustainable industry and planet."

Climate change puts pressure on failing Caribbean water supplies, Deutsche Welle, January 26, 2021

The picturesque tropical islands are surrounded by water, yet shortages are a daily reality for many. Rising temperatures and low rainfall could make matters worse.
What implications are there when tourist sites use water resources disproportionately?

Community-based projects in the Caribbean tackling climate change - UN, Jamaica Observer, May 1, 2022

The United Nations (UN) says thousands of small-scale, community driven initiatives, including many in the Caribbean, are making “a huge difference” in people’s lives and contributing to efforts to curb global warming.

Community tourism in the Caribbean by Basil Springer, Guest Column in Barbados Today, February 20, 2022.

This article emphasizes the increasing awareness of the potential of community tourism to widen opportunities and to engage more citizens in the business of tourism. As Dr Springer states: "People need to be aware of the community tourism opportunity and recognise that this could lead to jobs and propel enterprise development".

Diana McIntyre-Pike, mentioned in the article, is founder of the Countrystyle Community Tourism Network (CCTN) in Mandeville, Jamaica. Ms McIntyre-Pike is a fore-running example of just what is possible when communities engage with tourism potential. It is possible for everyone to contribute and benefit at the same time. All that is required is for one person, or perhaps a small group, to take the initiative to make things happen. Remember that most businesses that are large today did start small. Read more here and here. Read about Dr. Basil Springer here and on facebook.

Culture tourists stay longer and spend more, according to studies, The Daily Herald, 30 March, 2022.

With climate change affecting the whole world, he said, focus on sustainable and responsible business models become more important and mass tourism less of a long-term solution.

Speaker Ragnar Siil states: "It’s the reason why cultural tourism has become so attractive. It doesn’t mean we need more of these tourists; it means we might need less because they are more affluent, more engaged and more involved".

David Jessop: Consultant and Editor, The Caribbean Council. (Profile at Caribbean Council)

The Caribbean Council provides specialist trade advisory, public affairs and events services to a range of clients in the public and private sector. Caribbean Council consultants have provided expert commentary and analysis to leading regional and global news media outlets, covering a wide range of political, economic and developmental news stories affecting the Caribbean, Central America and the Guianas.

• Business of Tourism
• Caribbean Insight
• Cuba Briefing
• The View from Europe

Highly respected, David Jessop, Consultant and Non-Executive Director of the Caribbean Council, writes from a European perspective on Caribbean tourism. Based in London, UK.

He generally portrays a positive message regarding the future for Caribbean tourism but is keenly aware of the high seas and storms that are presenting challenges. His knowledge and definitive analysis are to be ignored at the peril of compromising future progress.

If there are themes running through the body of his analysis, they can be summarised in this way:

• Tourism is the key industry in all Caribbean islands, including Tobago but not Trinidad.
• Air linkages are key. But the usual reliance on visitor arrival numbers is not enough.
• Land based tourism is more valuable than cruise based tourism.

Mr Jessop stresses:

• Caribbean unity and the need for common marketing and development initiatives.
• Unified Caribbean policies to deal with cruise lines as well as health and safety and entry requirements.
• Other world tourist regions are gaining competitive advantage.

He questions whether Caribbean countries are doing enough to insure the sustainability of their destinations and therefore tourism in general.

His writing shows the value of linkages between tourism sector and other economic sectors such as local agriculture and light industry.

He also sees intra-Caribbean tourism as an underutilized market.

In general, he advises against punitive taxes and duties.

Mr Jessop has also shown that there is value in expanding the offering of tourism products. One example might be 'Multi-destination travel', similar to what many travellers do in Europe, by short visits to several countries. He thinks that tourism related to local culture and heritage also provides opportunities to deliver more products and services to visitors, increasing local value-add and helping to reduce the problem of leakages.

A new regional agenda for tourism, Dominican Today, October 14, 2022

In this article, Mr Jessop has done the bulk of the grunt work in defining an agenda for the future of Caribbean tourism, both in terms of regional cooperation and co-development in a more unified, holistic context.

A range of proposals are set out on the table: "the need to develop further intra-regional multi-destination tourism as is the case in Central America; the harmonisation and development of single visa schemes to ease pan-Caribbean travel, especially by visitors from new markets; the creation of regional marketing, product development and investment strategies; joint airlift agreements; and much improved linkages between regional- and internationally-based airlines as part of a strategy to boost tourist arrivals".

Other ideas include: "better integrat[ing] the industry and its offering in the north-western and south-eastern Caribbean, jointly develop[ing] products and offerings attractive to new markets, enabl[ing] economies of scale, and see the pooling of resources to achieve common goals, knowledge sharing, and skills transfer" ... and ... "a much greater role in tourism development as a force for integration between Commonwealth countries".

Mr Jessop also states "some already relatively high-cost tourism destinations in the Caribbean may experience next year a significant decline as ... higher airfares and input costs for hotels make the Caribbean less affordable to middle and lower end long haul travelers ... with ... [t]he implication in the short term that many visitors may choose to vacation closer to home".

Local stays can be an important component of an overall tourism marketing push. 'New markets' can include local markets. Promoting to 'visitors who choose to vacation closer to home' to include regional visits to neighbouring islands, or enjoying stay-cations in their own home countries. Think in terms of pampered weekend spa getaways or second honeymoons. These can be seen as high-end short visits that are quite low cost for local 'tourists in their own home' together with no need for medium or long haul flights.

Caribbean destinations might also look at increasing the typical stay-over length to eight or ten days with the goal of both amortizing the medium/long haul flight cost and carbon load over more days but also to increase visitor spend from fewer visitors. It may also mean fewer vacations per year which in turn reduces the numbers of people flying.

In terms of sustainability these can actually be benefits. Although the problem of lower short-term revenue is real, fewer visitors (or longer stays) mean less stress on infrastructure and marine resources that require substantial investments to build, maintain and protect. Caribbean destinations need to locate where the highest value tourism product exists and to develop these core products and services. Ultimately, the goal is to upgrade the Caribbean tourism product which will contribute to improving the region's overall attractiveness internationally as a first class travel destination. A longer term goal of delivering higher spend from fewer visitors contributes to longer term sustainability which must be considered in the mix.

Selected key quotes:

"This suggests there is now the need to consider strategically how in future a wider product offering might encourage not only linkages with multiple sectors, but also catalyze rural development, grow transferable skills, and support newer industries in ways that better balance national economies. ... Some nations like Jamaica and Barbados already understand this, but others that are also tourism dependent have not."

"To better understand the changing market, it suggests that sectoral analysis requires more than the use of traditional statistics, and should additionally consider real-time travel bookings, tourism expenditure data, and consumer sentiment surveys."

Quoting a recent report: ‘Imagining a Post-COVID Tourism Recovery: A Regional Overview’, Mr Jessop states that giving ...

"greater priority to meeting the changing preference of travellers for nature-based tourism and experience related travel. This, it observes, makes it more important that the region protects its natural assets, environmental sustainability, and adapts to climate change."

"As previously noted by this column, the pandemic offers a unique opportunity to assess how a region with billions of dollars invested in fixed tourism infrastructure might establish new linkages that go far beyond agriculture and fisheries, able to stimulate, for example, new services-based industries located away from urban centres."
source: https://www.caribbean-council.org/is-the-lure-of-the-beach-enough/

"The challenge that is now facing almost every Caribbean nation is how best to recover the tourism economy without which future economic growth and sustainable tax revenues will be all but impossible."
"While acknowledging their value, Frank Comito points out the cruise lines need to be better regional players. The Caribbean he says, “will have to explore whether it has the collective will to address from an equity perspective the role of the cruise sector vis-a-vis land-based tourism in its many forms”."
source: https://www.caribbean-council.org/balanced-tourism-recovery-a-key-to-future-caribbean-growth/

"It has indicated that when present difficulties have passed, long-term collaboration involving all stakeholders is needed to reimagine and deliver a better integrated industry, that comes to be seen by all as a sustainable, beneficial, ecologically sound, socio-economic development tool."
source: https://www.caribbean-council.org/the-way-ahead-for-caribbean-tourism/

"As presently configured the tourism sector imports almost everything from food to cutlery and linen. Not only will global food shortages and surging energy prices drive up all hotel operating costs, but they will also put pressure on wages, making the Caribbean, an already expensive US Dollar denominated destination, less able to compete with other warm water destinations that are hoping to replace lost Russian and Chinese clients with some of the region’s European and North American visitors."
source: https://trinidadexpress.com/opinion/columnists/is-tourism-s-recovery-sustainable/article_53e7123a-dfaa-11ec-ba41-1f3a04d8d75b.html

"There is also much to be considered in relation to the cruise lines, the need first to stimulate employment-generating long-stay land-based tourism, and the still missing regional response to the cruise company’s divisive approach to destinations."
https://www.caribbean-council.org/tourisms-recovery-holds-key-to-future-caribbean-growth/

"It has indicated that when present difficulties have passed, long-term collaboration involving all stakeholders is needed to reimagine and deliver a better integrated industry, that comes to be seen by all as a sustainable, beneficial, ecologically sound, socio-economic development tool."
source: https://www.caribbean-council.org/the-way-ahead-for-caribbean-tourism/

"For those willing to look over the horizon, the issue now is about reorienting and developing the Caribbean tourism offering to reflect changing international demand for the authentic, for quality service and cuisine and even when the price is high, value for money. It reflects too an understanding that a significant part of the higher spending end of the market is looking for much more than just a luxury hotel and a beach in the tropics."
source: https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/business/20150524/david-jessop-selling-authentic-caribbean

ECCB Governor "Intra-regional travel is a regional public good"; SVG Finance Minister calls for buy-in from all, WINN Media, St Kitts, October 29, 2022

"Intra-regional travel is a regional public good. It’s a bridge. So by its very definition, we have to approach it as a region; we have to work together. I think what the countries are expressing is a certain level of anxiety and impatience with the process to get to a resolution," said the Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), Timothy N J Antoine in an interview with reporters at the 2022 IMF and World Bank Group Annual meeting.

Empowering Women in Caribbean Tourism: ‘Future Tourism Project‘ of the UN Development Programme, Tourism Watch, April 2, 2022

With its SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), the United Nations have set the standard for sustainable development worldwide. According to these, strengthening micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) is just as important as gender equality. Therefore, the UN development agency UNDP puts female empowerment at core of its project "FUTURE TOURISM: Rethinking Tourism and MSMEs in times of COVID-19" in the Eastern Caribbean. Lea Thin interviewed Krystal Yearwood, Future Tourism Support Officer, about the importance of women to strengthen and recover the tourism sector.

Explore domestic, intra-regional tourism on a wider scale, Barbados Advocate, April 8, 2021

The time may have come for Tourism Ministers from various Caribbean countries to explore on a wider scale the whole concept of having more intra-regional visitors in an effort to help regional economies during the current COVID-19 pandemic and domestic tourism must get some attention as well.

Imagining a Post-COVID Tourism Recovery: A Regional Overview by by Olga Gomez Garcia, Henry Mooney, David Rosenblatt and María Alejandra Zegarra, IDB, 2021

[C]ountries can do much to support a recovery through policies, investments, and other measures of their own. These include efforts to reinforce tourism intelligence, and to adapt their tourism product offerings to suit a post-pandemic world. ... for example ... Adjusting the tourism product to new preferences may be necessary for Caribbean destinations to fully participate in a global recovery of the sector.

My top 10 beefs with the cruise ship industry - When they finally come back, we need a new Book of Rules by S Brian Samuel, Jamaica Gleaner, December 31, 2020

People in the know are pondering: is COVID-19 an existential threat to the cruise industry?

S. Brian Samuel is Head of Public-Private Partnerships, Caribbean Development Bank. He is a co-author of the study: Driving Tourism in the Eastern Caribbean, WorldBank, 2015.

Oceans: Do Caribbean countries sink or swim? by Sir Ronald Sanders, The St Kitts Observer, July, 2023

"It is widely acknowledged that the Caribbean faces an existential threat from climate change. However, the future of the Caribbean region depends on recognizing the value and vulnerability of the surrounding Ocean. It can allow us to swim to greater economic opportunity, or it can sink us under the impact of climate change."

On Location: Multi-destination tourism key to Caribbean’s recovery, ministers say by Michele Yeo, PAX News (Canada), October, 2022

"This pandemic has given us the opportunity to reimagine tourism," said Jamaica's Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett at a CTO and IATA-led conference in Grand Cayman this month. The event, which PAX covered on location, touched on multi-destination tourism, which Peter Cerda, IATA’s regional VP for the Americas, said "will be the key" to the recovery.

Our world in 2022: Ten trends that could shape the year ahead: What is in store for Cayman in 2022? by James Whittaker - Cayman Compass, January 12, 2022

The key issues in 2022 are likely to be around how Cayman moves on from the worst of the pandemic and adapts its policies on quarantine and testing, travel and tourism, and its healthcare infrastructure to adjust to the long-term reality of life with COVID. While the focus of this article is on the Cayman Islands, the themes expressed apply to most Caribbean islands.

Regional Business Plan Competition for Community-Based Tourism Sector, NOW Grenada, 20 January, 2022

The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Open Campus and Compete Caribbean are collaborating on a Regional Business Plan Competition targeting entrepreneurs who currently operate or wish to operate within the Community-Based Tourism (CBT) industry. Prizes will be awarded to participants, with the first prize of US$2,500 in technical support. For information on the competition and how to enter, visit: UWI: Regional Business Plan Competition.

Rethinking tourism; change is better than more of the same by Cdr. Bud Slabbaert, 50skyshades, October 9, 2022

"Make no mistake, tourism or destination development is not about creating another Disney-like destination. It is learning some of the principles that may lead to success. What the guests want and need, means knowing and understanding the clientele from abroad. Not just their culture and behavior, but their true needs, perceptions, and expectations. These should not be taken lightly, considering that for many a vacation is just a once-a-year happening".

Slow tourism industry recovery underscores need for key reforms in Caribbean: IDB report; The Inter-American Development Bank; May 17, 2021 (Found at: Bahamas Weekly)

The extreme uncertainty surrounding the tourism recovery in the Caribbean highlights the importance of boosting innovation and supporting transformations that align tourism destinations and products with post-pandemic global demand trends, according to a report of the Inter-American Development Bank.

Sun, Sand and Sustainability: A Way Forward for Caribbean Tourism, Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CAPRI), Kingston, Jamaica, June, 2021
Lead Author: Ishtar Govia

To improve competitiveness and attractiveness as a top global destination, regional agencies such as CTO and CHTA, advised by CARICOM, should engage in a regional digital marketing campaign, branding the region as “One Caribbean”. Such a campaign should embrace and promote each island’s unique socio-cultural attractions to diversify the tourism clientele. Distrust – identified as a barrier to sectoral cooperation and cohesion among the range of tourism players – can be mitigated by creating within- and cross-sectoral identities to help build communities through transparent information sharing and achieving common goals. ... and much more.

Supporting Tourism in the Eastern Caribbean (OECS)

The OECS, through its expertise on tourism, is working in collaboration with its Member States along with regional and international agencies to ensure the development of a sustainable tourism in the Eastern Caribbean region and optimise the social, economic and environmental benefits of tourism to the OECS Member States. Cooperative projects like this need to develop a broader base in the region.

Sustainable tourism and the research it requires by Ian Bethell-Bennett, The Nassau Guardian, 2019

Dr. Bethell-Bennett is as clear as the Caribbean Sea on his assessment of the process of undertaking sustainable tourism development in The Bahamas:

• As little regard is given to the socio-cultural and socio-economic impact of tourism development on local communities other than to provide low-level jobs in the short term, this cannot be referred to as sustainable tourism. The environmental impact of large and mega resorts and island-wide gated communities that erase local communities and put massive strain on water, electricity and food resources, not to mention waste management and environmental pollution, are ignored. This again occurs in favor of a few getting richer at the expense of many.
• The current FDI-controlled structure of the Bahamian market and economy does not lend to what is known as sustainable tourism. The leakage of resources and capital completely undermine the possibility of sustainable tourism.
• Local communities had little to no say in who delivered services, which was often decided either by resort operators or central government.
• Ultimately, the national infrastructure provides that those who conduct research are often abused by a system of weak or nonexistent intellectual property rights, poor ethical structures and a state that willingly undermines national development for its own interests. Partisan politics also further erodes the potential for true sustainable development without even focusing on sustainable tourism development.
• None of this supports what the UNWTO referred to as sustainable development or tourism.

So, whereas, the tourism industry has become highly developed in The Bahamas, it would appear that local social conditions are not improving and the quality of the environment is being compromised.

See also: Hard Questions Which Demand Answers by Ian Bethell-Bennett, U Bahamas, The Tribune, 2018
There can be no sustainability without inclusion, awareness, education and training.

The climate emergency is a bigger threat than covid, says UNWTO secretary-general, Caribbean News Global, November 4, 2021

The head of the United Nations World Tourism Organization has warned that the "climate emergency is a bigger threat than Covid".
(UNWTO article) .

The promise and challenges of sustainable travel products, Tourism Analytics, November 15, 2022

As COP27 kicks off, the urgency and scale of addressing the global climate and environmental challenges are once again taking centre stage. Accounting for an estimated 11% of global emissions, a share that is expected to grow, the Travel and Tourism (T&T) sector will play a critical role in meeting global climate goals.

Time to Make Tourism Everybody’s Business, The Voice, St Lucia, January, 2022

We encourage government to continue working on making rural tourism the bread winner it can be for Saint Lucians in need of some form of employment. A start has been made but much, much more needs to be done. The economy’s biggest income earner is the driver that can spread its tentacles throughout the island to embrace everyone. After all, isn’t tourism everybody’s business?

Time to rethink cruise tourism strategy by Mark Wenner, an economist in St. Thomas; Virgin Islands Daily News, Mar 10, 2021

A critical assessment of what was occurring prior to the COVID crisis in the cruise ship segment, who was receiving the most benefits, why was the V.I. becoming less competitive vis-a-vis neighbors, what are the likely scenarios to emerge post COVID in the cruise industry, and what should the V.I. do to capture more benefits from tourism is necessary.

Tourism and climate change - How will we travel in the future? | DW Documentary, June 15, 2022 (YouTube)

This documentary examines an industry that had gotten ahead of itself, even before it was hit by the pandemic. We hear from mayors, tourism managers, a climate expert, an internet activist and a sociologist. The main focus is on Europe but the concepts are applicable Worldwide. Written and directed by Antje Christ, Christ Media.

Tourism leaders call for urgent action to protect the Oceans, Caribbean News Global, February 13, 2022

PARIS, France, (UNWTO) – In a session on "Tourism in the Blue Economy" co-hosted with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and France, high-level representatives stressed how implementing a blue economy can combat the threats of climate change, plastic pollution and over-exploitation of resources. At the same time, the panel, representing Colombia, Kenya, Seychelles and Palau, made clear how a stronger focus on sustainability can help deliver more competitive and inclusive tourism activities. The goal of the discussion is to raise awareness for all economies where tourism and oceans intersect.

UNWTO at COP27 - Uniting Tourism Around Tangible Climate Action Plans - UNWTO

The tourism sector has set out its plans to achieve its climate action ambitions. At COP27, UNWTO brought leading sector stakeholders together to share practical insights into accelerating the shift to greater sustainability and reaching Net-Zero.

Article was reprinted in Caribbean News Global

More info:

• UNWTO Side events at the COP27 UN Climate Change Conference
• Tourism for SDGs
• Tourism for SDGs – Tourism For SDGs Platform
• UNWTO Tourism Online Academy

Wanted: A Sustainable Tourism Zone of the Caribbean, The Daily Herald, St Maarten, 17 December, 2019

Letter to the editor by David A. Comissiong, Barbados’ Ambassador to CARICOM and the Association of Caribbean States
"All over the Caribbean, we should be seeking to establish “sustainable hotels” and “sustainable tourism industries”".

WeAdapt (weadapt.org)

Climate change adaptation planning, research and practice.
weADAPT is a collaborative platform on climate change adaptation issues. It allows practitioners, researchers and policy-makers to access credible, high-quality information and connect with one another.

Knowledge base: Small Islands and Climate Change

Selected articles

• Climate impacts on agriculture and tourism: The case for climate resilient investment in the Caribbean, Submitted by Will Bugler | published 7th Mar 2017 | last updated 6th Oct 2020
  For the Caribbean, climate change is not tomorrow’s problem. The threats it poses are neither distant nor abstract – they are already apparent. In recent years, hurricanes have caused major damage in countries such as Jamaica, Grenada and Cuba; severe flooding has hit Belize and Guyana; and droughts affect much of the east of the region. The small island state of Saint Lucia alone has faced 27 natural disasters between 1980 and 2008, with total economic damage reaching an estimated US$2.5 billion. The need for investment to build climate resilience in the Caribbean has never been greater. 
• Enabling Local Leaders: an exploration of community-based climate action in St. Vincent and the Grenadines
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) is extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. As a Small Island Developing State (SIDS) the impacts of rising sea levels, increased storm intensity, prolonged drought, and the spread of new diseases have compounding effects on the economic, social, and environmental systems of this multi-island state. However, communities across the islands are stepping up to find solutions to these challenges by building their capacity to deal with the uncertainties of a changing climate.
• From the ground up: How communities can collaborate to drive local adaptation and influence the national agenda, Submitted by Julia Barrott | published 18th May 2017 | last updated 10th Feb 2020
  While climate change may be driven by global processes, it is at the local level where the damage caused by climate impacts like hurricanes, storms and floods is felt most acutely. Responses to climate change are inextricably linked to the local context in which they emerge. Caribbean decision-makers increasingly recognise that ‘top-down’ approaches to climate adaptation are insufficient to deliver effective climate resilience-building outcomes. Instead, multi-level governance systems are now seen as best practice for delivering adaptation actions at the local level, especially where small and medium sized communities rely on climate vulnerable sectors such as fishing or tourism.
• Helping Small Island Developing States adapt to climate change using coastal ecosystem-based approaches, Submitted by Will Simonson | published 25th Jan 2017 | last updated 28th May 2020
  Ecosystem-based adaptation (EBA) refers to the use of biodiversity and ecosystem services as part of an overall strategy to help people adapt to the adverse effects of climate change.

WTTC chief bats for Caribbean sustainability, Dominica News Online, October 26, 2022

Julia Simpson, the president of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) wants to see a strong focus on environmental sustainability throughout the Caribbean.
While the Caribbean’s post-pandemic tourism recovery has been largely successful, Simpson expressed concern about the challenges of air connectivity between islands, the increasing cost of air travel for visitors visiting the Caribbean, climate change and the loss of nature. "But I am an optimist. I believe we can overcome these challenges."

WTTC Calls for Greater Coordination Between Caribbean Governments to Create More than 1.3 Million Jobs, The Voice, St Lucia, St Maarten, 15 June 2022

San Juan, Puerto Rico: The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has revealed the Caribbean’s Travel & Tourism sector could create 1.34 million jobs over the next 10 years, if governments and the private sector enhance intra-regional cooperation and become a single voice.

'In order to achieve this, the global tourism body says stronger collaboration across the Caribbean region, investment in infrastructure, better air connectivity and investing in the workforce, will be critical as the Caribbean competes with other parts of the world.
Collaboration with the private sector along with tourism industry organisations such as the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) and [ the Caribbean Tourism Organization ] will also be key to achieving this long-term growth.
The report also indicates how sustainability and protecting nature are also key elements which will enhance resilience for the future and will accelerate its recovery.'

Read the WTTC report: Travel & Tourism in the Caribbean: Prospects for Growth

Original article: WTTC Calls for Greater Coordination Between Caribbean Governments to Create More than 1.3 Million Jobs, WTTC, June 14, 2022

Why You Should Consider Slow Travel for Your Next Trip​ by Bill Fink, AARP, January 14, 2022

Traveling deeply rather than widely brings special pleasures — and fewer hassles during COVID-19.

The U.S. and destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean are also increasingly popular slow travel destinations. Virtuoso’s Belles says pandemic-era remote-work opportunities have had many customers booking extended stays in traditional resort destinations, but “people are going beyond the usual ‘fly and flop’ vacation — they want to explore more of the area while they’re there, to get away from the beach and do more.”, states Mr Fink.