Sustainable Tourism Practices in the Caribbean Region
Minister Bartlett Calls for Urgent Action to Tackle Regional Tourism Challenges
MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica – With the Caribbean being the most tourism-reliant region worldwide, the industry contributes some 22% of GDP. It supports 2.75 million jobs. Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett says factors that threaten the sustainability of the industry must be tackled urgently.
He is happy that the region is recovering from the problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and bad weather.
He told hundreds of travel advisors Sunday (August 24) that: “In 2024, the region saw a strong tourism rebound. There was a 6.1% increase in international tourist arrivals compared to 2023, reaching 34.2 million. This also represented a 6.9% increase over pre-pandemic levels in 2019.”
To underscore the impact, he pointed out that the region suffered a 65% decline in visitor arrivals in 2020.
American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) Caribbean Showcase
In a keynote speech at the 4th Annual Caribbean Showcase hosted by the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) at Sandals South Coast, Minister Bartlett highlighted the tourism sector’s resilience. He emphasized that, in spite of various difficulties, the Caribbean experienced the quickest recovery compared to any other region globally.
That notwithstanding, Minister Bartlett is concerned that the region continues to face challenges.
“Our tourism-reliant economies make us susceptible to internal and external shocks. We are more vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters, including rising sea levels, more frequent and intense hurricanes, and coral reef degradation,” he underscored.
Other threats include geopolitical factors and ongoing instability in key source markets. High costs and limited intra-regional travel options have also been underlined by Minister Bartlett as threats to regional tourism. He issued a call that: “We must confront sustainable tourism practices more urgently than ever before.”
Noting that several ministers of tourism were attending the ASTA gathering, he said essentially, “the Caribbean’s strength lies in its unity” and by working together with harmonized policies,“we can enhance connectivity, standardize quality across the region, and create seamless travel experiences that encourage visitors to explore multiple islands, unlocking new opportunities for growth and cultural exchange.”
Ministers of Tourism in Attendance
Among the other ministers of tourism in attendance were Deputy Prime Minister of St Lucia, Hon Dr. Ernest Hilaire; Hon G.P. Ian Gooding-Edghill of Barbados; Hon Carlos James of St Vincent & the Grenadines and Hon Adrian Thomas from Grenada.
Minister Bartlett said their presence “demonstrated a unique spirit of cooperation, moving us from competition to ‘copetition’ within the region.” He said COVID-19 had taught a lesson that “we compete at our own peril and we ‘copete’ at our own glory; we become better, stronger if we ‘copete’ moving forward.”
