At the recent Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) Caribbean Travel Forum, President Nicola Madden-Greig unveiled significant findings from a joint study by ForwardKeys and CHTA on Caribbean tourism trends. The study revealed a promising outlook, with international visitor numbers projected to surpass pre-pandemic levels of 2019 by an impressive 13% in the first half of 2024. However, the region faces growing competition from reopening international destinations, particularly in Asia.
Within the Caribbean, Puerto Rico emerged as a leader in tourism performance, closely followed by the Dominican Republic and Cancun. Destinations such as Belize and Curaçao exhibited notable growth, fueled by enhanced air connectivity and increased interest from key markets.
The forum also served as a platform to recognize destinations for their resilience and sustainability efforts through the Destination Resilience Awards. The Bahamas received the Category A Award for its commitment to sustainable tourism practices in the wake of Hurricane Dorian, particularly through the formation of the Abaco Stewardship Council. St. Lucia was honored with the Category B Award for its strategic measures and regulations under the Tourism Development Act of 2023.
The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) was recognized with the President’s Award for Caribbean Tourism Excellence for its vital contributions to health security in the tourism sector, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its efforts in implementing robust health monitoring systems and promoting public health initiatives have played a crucial role in the region’s tourism recovery.
CHTA’s commitment to supporting the tourism industry was further demonstrated through the introduction of several new resources. These include the AI Guidebook, the Caribbean Performance and Outlook report, and the Caribbean Tourism Construction and Investment Survey Report, which are now available to members through the organization’s online community.
