PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic --- Despite severe challenges to the
Caribbean tourism industry in the past two years, chords of
optimism filtered through the opening ceremony at the Caribbean
Hotel Industry Conference, which opened June 22 at the Barcelo
Bavaro Conference Center here.
Keynote speaker Thomas Murray, chief operating officer, the
Americas, InterContinental Hotels Group, cited recent predictions
from the World Travel & Tourism Council of a 2.5% increase in
demand for travel this year.
Murray talked of "a strong upward trend for the industry in the
next 10 years and a prognosis for full recovery."
The "Caribbean is well-positioned to capitalize on the
inevitable upturn," he added.
The Caribbean has lots going for it, Murray said, including:
• It is close to the US, the Caribbean's major inbound market;
• The countries in the region have politically stable governments
and are "safe" destinations;
• The region is a viable alternative long-haul destination for
travelers from Europe, and the "difficulty of getting visas to the
US" for many international travelers makes the Caribbean a great
alternative.
Murray said that the Caribbean's branding -- pooling resources
to collectively market the region -- will enable "this region and
its tourism partners to ride out any storm and emerge more
successful."
His sentiments were seconded by Berthia Parle, first vice
president of the Caribbean Hotel Association, who called for better
regional tourism cooperation "to bolster the Caribbean competitive
advantage."