The heavily tourism-dependent countries of the region are reportedly gradually reported to be ‘breathing easier’ as indications of what commentators are describing as a ‘bounce back’ for tourism, a crucial income-earner for several otherwise resource-poor states.
Having collectively held their breath since the ravages of the covid-19 pandemic suddenly ‘dried up’ the movement of tourists into the region, devastating the services sectors across the region and gouging huge holes in employment levels, Caribbean island states were this week welcoming the signals of optimism by regional hoteliers. Indeed, what the hoteliers had to say went beyond the cautious optimism that had hitherto been underpinning projections for the recovery of the sector. “The region’s tourism renaissance is well underway, with some destinations approaching or exceeding record visitor arrival numbers,” one regional media report trumpeted earlier this week.
Going forward, analysts of the prospects for a return to normalcy in the tourism industry assert that the growing numbers of visitors who are now turning up across the region is a function of “pent up traveler demand” coupled with “the elimination or significant reduction in traveler restrictions, the return of airlifts, attractive deals and packages being offered by hotels, and a range of destination and hotel choices and upgrades that are now in place as key factors for the rebound.” It is as if visitor arrivals have suddenly and without too much warning reverted to an ‘as you were’ mode.
The sense of excitement arising out of what now appears to be a dramatic ‘bounce back’ for Caribbean tourism appeared to have been shared by the President of the Caribbean Tourism & Hotel Association (CHTA) Nicola Madden-Grieg who has reportedly lost no time in applauding the region’s tourism, health and government leaders for the effort they had put in to properly position what is, in effect, the Caribbean’s single largest industry to some through the ravages of the pandemic in one piece.
The CHTA boss has refused hide her conviction that the bounce back of the tourism industry is a feat which the region has every right to ‘shout about.’ Addressing the fortunes of the region hospitality industry she noted that in their comeback phase hotels and resorts in the region are likely to approach close to 80 percent of their record pre-pandemic performance this year and that some destinations are even poised to set “all-time records.” She goes further, waxing warm about the return of cruise ships, at the one extreme and at the other, transportation providers such as independent taxis, and small- and medium-sized vendors who lives had been thrown into a tailspin by the unwelcome arrival of the pandemic.
There were even generous extra-regional pats on the back for the Caribbean for the piloting of its highly-valued sector through the ravages of the past two years. When the World Travel and Tourism Council held it Global Summit in Manila last month, the forum made a particular point of recognizing the Caribbean and Latin America as leaders in the pursuit of global tourism recovery.
Madden herself reportedly made a number and pointed and poignant remarks about the regional tourism industry asserting that “today’s traveler has many choices when planning a Caribbean getaway, thanks to the efforts of so many. Over the past decade, we’ve seen an explosion of new and upgraded hotels and infrastructure improvements.” She noted that “during the pandemic, many hotels and attractions had used the time to improve on their product and service offerings, also recognizing the changing needs of the discerning traveler. “We continue to offer accommodation experiences that appeal to the full range of traveler interests,” she said.
But she didn’t end there. Setting aside what she described as the region’s “world famous beaches and waters,” the regional tourism official she alluded to the fact that “travelers can experience our diverse cultural, culinary, and historic treasures.”
With regard to the region’s tourism comeback Madden-Greig noted that, on average, hotels and resorts in the Caribbean will approach close to 80 percent of their record pre-pandemic performance this year, with some destinations setting all-time records. Setting aside the fact the cruise ships, a key income-generator for the sector, are returning to the region the regional tourism official also drew attention to the importance of the upturn for independent transportation providers and medium-sized vendors. Those considerations apart she noted that investment in new and upgraded hotels and resorts had not slowed.
At the recent Caribbean Hotel & Resort Summit, Director General, Vanessa Ledesma, echoed these thoughts highlighting what she said was the strong interest in the region for summer and fall travel, circumstances which, she declared are reflective of travelers’ “mindset with the accessibility of the region, brand identity and management of the pandemic,” being “key elements that are driving demand.”
