High consumer demand for Caribbean holidays is helping tourism chiefs exceed 2018 expectations.
This is despite some hotels in six of the region’s 32 major destinations still rebuilding following last year’s devastating hurricanes.
The robust upturn in the tourism sector means that many parts of the Caribbean are seeing corresponding growth in employment, visitor spending, government revenue, and public and private sector investments to upgrade and expand, according to the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA).
Bolstering the growth and rapid recovery from the storms is the increased airlift coming into the region from North America and Europe.
The association also reported major expansion by leading hotel companies and the debut in the region of new independent boutique and luxury hotels as well as the growth of the sharing economy.
Despite the damage wreaked by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, they also delivered critical messages for the future of the region – more than 70% of which was unaffected by the storms, according to chief executive and director general Frank Comito.
“The hurricanes taught us that the Caribbean is viewed as one brand in the minds of the public and the consumer,” he said.
“The lesson learned is that we’ve got to work more closely together as a region, public and private sectors, to let the world know about the lifetime of experiences and destinations which our vast region offers.”
Comito, whose association comprises private sector hospitality and tourism stakeholders, also cautioned against complacency.
“While we’ve been on a good growth curve in both the hotel and arrivals side of it in terms of the data, it doesn’t take much to swing positive numbers to negatives,” he warned.
“We are working with our industry and public sector partners to build a new spirit of collaboration.
“The need for this became even more apparent in recent years as we’ve worked to counter the negative impacts, largely due to mistaken public perceptions of storms and other natural occurrences. We need to be diligent, to be ready to bounce back and respond as effectively as possible.”
He added: “A growing number of travellers are understanding that the Caribbean is a vast region comprising many diverse destinations all rich in natural beauty but each distinct in its history, music, culture, food and welcoming hospitality.
“Just like a winter blizzard may affect the north-eastern United States while people are sunbathing on Miami beach, a weather incident in one part of the Caribbean does not affect the overwhelming majority of the Caribbean.
“Capitalising on these trends and getting the region to work together on marketing and addressing other matters which can cause tourism to be an even greater economic engine for the region is a challenge which the region’s public and private sector leaders must embrace.”
A CHTA study earlier this year revealed that 58% of hoteliers have a positive or extremely positive outlook for the industry’s future.
Comito said: “In all of our discussions with industry stakeholders from destinations such as Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands, St Maarten, Dominica and Anguilla, we fully expect them to be showcasing to the traveller a completely revamped, fresh new product.
“We’re already beginning to see that in several of the destinations and, later this year, expect it to accelerate as more refurbished and rebuilt hotels come on stream.”
Caribbean travel and tourism issues will be debated at CHTA’s fourth Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum at the Hyatt Regency Miami on June 22-24.