Some destinations in the Caribbean are approaching or exceeding record visitor arrival numbers, prompting industry execs in the region to declare that tourism’s renaissance is “well underway.”

Tourism officials cite pent-up traveller demand, the elimination or significant reduction in travel restrictions, the return of airlift, attractive deals and packages being offered by hotels, and a range of destination and hotel choices and upgrades that are now in place as key factors for the rebound.

Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) President Nicola Madden-Greig points to the recent announcement by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) at its global summit in Manila, recognizing the Caribbean and Latin America as leading the global tourism recovery.

“Today’s traveller has many choices when planning a Caribbean getaway… Over the past decade we’ve seen an explosion of new and upgraded hotels and infrastructure improvements,” she said. “During the pandemic many hotels and attractions used the time to improve on their product and service offerings, also recognizing the changing needs of the discerning traveller. We continue to offer accommodation experiences which appeal to the full range of traveller interests.

Madden-Greig noted that, on average, hotels and resorts in the Caribbean will approach close to 80% of their record pre-pandemic performance this year, with some destinations setting all-time records.

And cruise ships are returning, which is especially important to attractions, transportation providers such as independent taxis, and small- and medium-sized vendors, she added.

In addition, investment in new and upgraded hotels and resorts has not slowed.

“These are all great indicators which point to traveller confidence and demand for the Caribbean. We are seeing the fruits of years of hard work by the industry and governments throughout the region to invest in our tourism product and our people, and to broaden our appeal as we find new ways to provide a diverse and exciting experience for our visitors,” said Madden-Greig.

She also touted a region flush with world-famous beaches and waters, and diverse cultural, culinary and historic treasures.

“And we’ve worked diligently to put in place health safety protocols which are effective and as nonintrusive as possible,” she added.

At the Caribbean Hotel & Resort Investment Summit, CHTA’s Acting CEO and Director General Vanessa Ledesma highlighted the strong interest in the region for summer and fall travel. “This is reflective of the travellers’ mindset with the accessibility of the region, brand identity and management of the pandemic being key elements that are driving demand,” she stated.

ForwardKeys, CHTA’s data partner, recently reported that the Caribbean and Latin America are leading the summer outlook in terms of the return of leisure travel, noting that five destinations – Aruba, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and The Bahamas – are among the “most resilient” based on confirmed arrivals for the summer.

Developer confidence is also evident in STR’s most current pipeline report, with close to 30,000 rooms in development or under construction over the next five years.

The future for the industry is not without challenges, as inflation is resulting in higher operating and travel costs and the uncertainty in Eastern Europe impacts travel.

“While the cost of travel increases worldwide due to these and other factors, we will continue to focus on providing value and exceptional traveller experiences,” Madden-Greig said. “This is particularly important in our highly competitive global marketplace. Despite these challenges, we anticipate over the coming weeks and months to see a proliferation of deals and special offers by the industry to continue to appeal to travellers’ desire to come to the Caribbean.”