Gay Nagle Myers
Tourism has ground to a halt in the Caribbean and most of the region is on lockdown status, but some are looking to how the hospitality sector might come back once the all-clear signal for travel to resume has been given.
"Tourism is the mainstay of the economy of the Caribbean," said Frank Comito, CEO and director general of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA). "That economy right now is fragile and we're facing major challenges for the foreseeable future.
"However, we're a resilient sector and we have bounced back after hurricanes, earthquakes and outbreaks of SARS and Zika, and we will do so again."
Comito was the featured guest on a webinar hosted by the Foreign Press Association's Ian Williams on March 27. A question-and-answer format covered the impact of covid-19 on the Caribbean economy and tourism market. A few excerpts from that conversation:
Q: What needs to be done to ready the region to welcome tourists again? What preparations are in place?
A: There will be casualties from the global pandemic, but there is no better place to recover and to heal than in the Caribbean. We need strategies and support now, we will need airlift, we must instill consumer confidence and we have to recapture market share.
Q: Does this crisis present opportunity?
A: Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados recently said, "A good crisis is a bad thing to waste." I agree. We have learned lessons from past crises. After the devasting hurricanes of 2017, we said we would come back but it would take four years. So we rebuilt better and stronger, we focused on training tools and service standards, we monitored, we researched, strategized, marketed and analyzed and two-and-a-half years later, most of the affected islands came back even better than before. With this crisis, it will take a big effort, but we will grow back better than before.
Q: Is the region better prepared for weather events and natural disasters? What about Covid-19?
A: I believe the region is well prepared to prepare to handle the aftermaths of disasters. I've been through 16 hurricanes; I've served on readiness and response committees; and attended and organized crisis management and recovery programs. Although Covid-19 is unlike anything the world has ever seen and we are vulnerable, we recognize that this is a challenge for all of the region and we are formulating strategies to support the Caribbean though this crisis.
Q: What messages do you have for international travelers?
A: Cancellations, as expected, are off the charts right now. I think 90% of the accommodations in the region now are temporarily closed as are most borders, airports and seaports. Many islands have curfews and stay-at-home orders in place. I did see a sign from a visitor who chose to remain in the Bahamas even though evacuation flights were available. His sign read: "I'm fine staying in the Bahamas."
When I last checked, advance bookings 60 days out actually looked pretty good and those 90 days out were up slightly over a year ago, which surprised me. This is a changing, fluid situation, but when confidence returns after this crisis is behind us, our visitors will be back. Life needs the Caribbean.
Q: How will the consumer decide whether or not and when to visit the region in the future?
A: The decision requires due diligence on the part of the consumer to take a close look at islands' recovery programs and progress, wade through reports and online research, consult with travel advisors and listen to what other travelers are saying as well as understand the policies of individual resorts and hotels.
Q: What are some of the challenges?
A: We have to invest in marketing and rehiring, we have to find ways to bring tourism revenues back into the economy and focus on the needs of the local populations to get our visitors and our revenues back. If we can make tourism work and be healthy, everyone benefits.