Message from the CTO
The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) joins our member countries, allied and affiliate members and Caribbean tourism interests in celebrating Caribbean Tourism Month in November, reaffirming our purpose of Leading Sustainable Tourism – One Sea, One Voice, One Caribbean. This year’s theme is, Caribbean Comeback.
It’s a theme that illustrates that as a region, we are on our way back from the devastating impact of the pandemic. Our member countries have worked tirelessly over the past 19 months to adapt to the ever-evolving environment thrust upon us by the pandemic. They have implemented a range of initiatives, and stringent protocols, to ensure post-Covid competitiveness and to rebuild confidence in the sector. One of the very positive signs of recovery, is that as the markets reopen, the region is welcoming an increasing number of flights, including direct service to destinations that are either never had such service before, or have not had direct service for several years.
In the third quarter, some of our member destinations recorded arrival numbers that rivalled, and in some instances, surpassed, the corresponding months in 2019. This by no means suggests that we are back to the pre-pandemic record numbers, and we remain fully aware of how quickly things can change with this virus. But it’s an encouraging sign that the Caribbean comeback is on.
The theme is also an invitation to visitors to come back to the Caribbean. Come back to the Caribbean that you love and are familiar with, to enjoy again everything that first attracted you to our region. Come back for the warm weather, the cuisine, the outdoors, the culture, the sunsets, the adventure. Come back for weddings and honeymoons, for hiking, the beach, the lakes and waterfalls, the flora and fauna and the friendly and welcoming people.
The CTO, in conjunction with our members, has planned a number of social media activities in observance of Caribbean Tourism Month, including a #CaribbeanComeback campaign. We encourage all of you to participate and to share the hashtag as widely as possible.
In addition to all of these enticing attributes which we invite you to come back to enjoy, we also wish to emphasise the Caribbean’s appeal as a region for wellness, healing and rejuvenation. In this regard, we wish to announce that 2022 will be the year of wellness in the Caribbean. As we grapple with the mental and physical toll that COVID-19 has had on us and its effect on our well-being, we offer the Caribbean as the place to come back to for wellness.
DIG DIGITAL?
