Category: Tourism

Hurricanes Irma, Maria cost Caribbean tourism more than US$700M

Jascene Dunkley-Malcolm Leave a comment
An overhead shot of Barbuda following Hurricane Irma

Just under a million less tourists visited the Caribbean following hurricanes Irma and Maria last year, costing the region over $700 million, according to a report from the London-based World Travel & Tourism Council.

“The hurricane season resulted in an estimated (loss) in 2017 of 826,100 visitors to the Caribbean, compared to pre-hurricane forecasts,” said the report.

Those tourists could have spent US$741 million and sustained more than 11,000 jobs, it said.

With their turquoise waters and coral reefs, Caribbean island destinations rely heavily on tourism, which provides 15.2 per cent of the region’s gross domestic product and sustains 14 per cent of its labor force, according to the report.

Worldwide, the average contribution of tourism to GDP is 10.4 per cent.

Read more at: Jamaica Observer

 

William G. Demas Memorial Lecture to focus on social impact of natural disasters

Michelle Nurse Leave a comment
Professor Mark Pelling of King’s College London will deliver the 19th William G. Demas Memorial Lecture during CDB’s Annual Meeting in Grenada. (Photo via CDB)

The social impact of natural disasters will come into focus when Professor Mark Pelling of King’s College London delivers the 19th William G. Demas Memorial Lecture on May 29 in Grenada. The highly regarded researcher will speak on the topic, “From Social Resilience to Survivor-Led Reconstruction” at the event, which is part of the agenda of the Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

Scheduled to take place at St. George’s University, the prestigious Lecture will feature Pelling taking a fresh look at resilience and reconstruction and examining the often-overlooked social dimensions of natural disasters in his keynote speech. More than 200 delegates attending CDB’s Annual Meeting, officials from the Government of Grenada and representatives from academia are expected to attend.

Pelling, who has widely researched and published work on the topic of resilience, is the author of 80 peer-review papers and book chapters, and seven books, including Adaptation to Climate Change: From Resilience to Transformation and The Vulnerability of Cities: Social Resilience and Natural Disaster.

Read more at: Caribbean Development Bank

Dominica continues recovery six months after Hurricane Maria

Michelle Nurse Leave a comment
(Photo via Caribbean Tourism Organisation)

Roseau, Dominica – March 18, 2018 marks six months since a powerful Category 5  hurricane slammed the island nation of  Dominica.  Six months following Hurricane Maria, Dominica has made major progress in restoring routes to and from the island, essential services and amenities, and transportation throughout the island.

“Nothing is better for our recovery from Hurricane Maria than visitors to our island,” says Colin Piper, CEO of the Discover Dominica Authority. “We have made significant progress in getting the island ready for guests. Whether it’s for a relaxing getaway, special event or meaningful travel, visitors will see the same vibrant spirit of our people and beautiful scenery and features that make Dominica the Nature Island of the Caribbean.”

 

(Photos via Discover Dominica)

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Top industry giants prep for Enterprise Development Forum

Michelle Nurse Leave a comment
Dr. Richard Brown

Dr. Richard Brown, Director,  Single Market and Sectoral Programmes at the CARICOM Secretariat, will join Dr. James Fletcher as the keynote speakers at the upcoming first Annual Enterprise Development Forum and Marketplace (EDFM) to be held 13-14 June, 2018, in Saint Lucia, the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) has announced.

Dr. Brown, an International Trade Specialist, will make a presentation on Regional Business and Trade Facilitation and open the proceedings for the second day of panel discussions aimed at findings solutions to the various problems identified.

Dr. Fletcher, Sustainable Development Specialist and author, will open the event with discourse on Sustainability Defined. Dr. Fletcher has extensive knowledge in the field representing Saint Lucia and the Region internationally, during his tenure as the Minister for Public Service, Sustainable Development, Energy, Science and Technology, throughout his career as the Director of Social and Sustainable Development at the Secretariat of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States and, as the Cabinet Secretary in the Government of Saint Lucia, and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

 

Dr. James Fletcher will open the discourse

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Caribbean States to make strong showing at OAS Tourism Ministerial Congress in Guyana

Michelle Nurse Leave a comment

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (March 7, 2018) – The XXIV Inter-American Congress of Ministers and High-Level Authorities of Tourism, which will be held in Guyana on March 21– 22, is attracting participation from a large number of Caribbean States that are members of the Organisation of the American States (OAS). Of the 13 Caribbean countries that are members of the OAS, 10 have so far indicated their intention to be represented at the Congress, being held for the first time in Guyana.

This robust indication of participation on the part of the Caribbean region vindicates efforts made over the years by Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), Mr. Hugh Riley, to extend the Caribbean’s voice and influence in hemispheric tourism matters, and even to bring more of the Hispanic and Francophone Caribbean within the fold of the CTO. The Caribbean’s strong presence in Guyana is also evidence of an interest, on the part of the English-speaking Caribbean, in raising its tourism profile in the hemisphere of the Americas and in having a greater say in shaping the Tourism development agenda.

The Secretary General of the CTO and several Tourism Ministers of Caribbean States will be making presentations at the OAS Congress in Georgetown on a range of issues ranging from Building Tourism resilience to enhancing multi-destination travel and strengthening business alliances in the Americas. In addition, there will be presentations at the Congress by a range of industry experts, CEOs, academics and others on various aspects of the theme – Connecting the Americas through Sustainable Tourism.  (Guyana Department of Public Information Press Release)