[ad_1]
Florida, CMC – The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) says the region’s tourism industry is The aftermath of Hurricane BerylData shows that travel bookings have rebounded rapidly.
Hurricane Beryl, the first hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, left a trail of death and destruction in Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Jamaica as it moved through the Caribbean Sea in early July.
The Tropical Cyclone Association of Canada said that despite the initial impact of the hurricane, which made landfall in the Grenadines as a Category 4 hurricane on July 1, the region has undergone a significant transformation, particularly driven by its largest market, the United States.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board said that ForwardKeys’ comprehensive air travel data, analysed in partnership with the association, “shows a rapid rebound in tourism, particularly among US tourists”.
“While data analysis is ongoing and results will be shared in future reports, overall trends show the Caribbean’s impressive capacity for recovery and adaptation,” the Caribbean Tourism Association said, acknowledging that the region experienced a short-term drop in bookings following Hurricane Beryl.
– advertise –
An analysis of tickets issued between June 30 and July 23 showed a small 2% drop in airfares compared to the same period in 2023, CHTA said.
“Destinations in the direct path of the hurricane saw more pronounced declines, such as Grenada, which fell 14%, and Jamaica, which fell 24%. Notably, bookings to the Caribbean were up 9% in the period leading up to the hurricane, indicating strong travel interest ahead of the hurricane.
“Jamaica saw a 5% increase in bookings during this period, while Grenada saw an even greater increase of 26%,” CHTA said, noting that “bookings from our largest source market, the United States, have rebounded quickly, highlighting the enduring appeal of our region.
“This rapid recovery not only highlights the resilience and strength of our industry, but also reaffirms our unwavering determination to overcome challenges,” said CHTA chair Nicola Madden-Greig.
The Caribbean Tourism Association said the United States has shown encouraging signs of a rapid recovery. As of July 9, 2024, ticket sales from the United States to the Caribbean have resumed year-on-year growth, recovering faster than the overall average.
This result is particularly significant as travel demand to the United States fell by 36% immediately following the hurricane, highlighting the region’s resilience and continued appeal.
Grenada was one of the islands directly affected by the storm but is now showing significant signs of recovery, CHTA said.
“Despite a 23% drop in intra-Caribbean ticket sales and an 18% drop in bookings compared to key US markets such as Boston (-19%), Miami (-18%) and New York (-15%), Grenada’s market has rebounded quickly to near normal levels.
“Booking patterns have changed, with last-minute travel from the US to Grenada in July seeing a 51% increase in cancellations due to the hurricane. However, cancellations for trips from August onwards were less affected, rising by 6%.
“This sharp rebound is significant given the initial challenges. Key sectors such as business travel and visiting friends and relatives (VFR) have seen notable increases in traffic of 57% and 12% respectively since July 2,” CHTA said.
The company said bookings to Jamaica from other parts of the Caribbean were similar to those to Grenada and the region as a whole, recovering quickly to 2023 levels, suggesting the initial impact of the hurricane was short-lived and traveler confidence returned “within days.”
Olivier Ponti, Director of Intelligence and Marketing at ForwardKeys, said: “ForwardKeys’ comprehensive travel intelligence clearly shows the significant short-term impact Hurricane Beryl is having on tourism in the Caribbean, particularly for those islands that are in the direct path of the storm.
“Nevertheless, the pace of recovery is an encouraging sign for the resilience of the region’s tourism economy. The US market, which is critical to the Caribbean, is leading the trend, while segments such as group travel and VFR are rebounding more strongly as humanitarian and essential travel accelerates.
“While the impacts of Hurricane Beryl were felt directly in the affected destinations, namely St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique, and the southern coast of Jamaica, and indirectly in other islands in the region, we must remember that the Caribbean is a vast region. While travel to the affected areas has temporarily decreased, many destinations not impacted by the storm remain fully operational and open for business,” Ponty said.
[ad_2]
Source link
