The Caribbean is currently experiencing exceptional tourism growth post pandemic as countries, including The Bahamas, relax restrictions. The President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, Nicola Madden-Grieg, was in the capital attending a meeting of travel advisors. She told ZNS that, “we have been seeing excessive demand and people are really excited to travel the Caribbean. We’re already seeing numbers surpassing our 2019 figures and based on what we are seeing, in terms of the forecast, that will continue. There is really an excitement for what the Caribbean tourism product is offering. We have come out of the pandemic strong. We worked together in partnership. There is just so much happening in different destinations, new products, attractions, just really the warmth of the Caribbean people is permeating the world and people are definitely excited to come.”
Although the Caribbean has seen 2% growth over 2019 number Mrs. Madden-Greig said that we need more tourist which equal more tourist dollars. She said, “we’re seeing a lot more Caribbean nationals getting into tourism not only from the accommodation, transportation, attraction side of things but as suppliers to the industry. So you’re seeing people in technology. You’re seeing persons that are doing things that are very unique in terms of applying themselves in terms of digital marketing also looking at other elements that are available to us.”
It is anticipated the tourism numbers in the Caribbean will continue to rise. The Word Travel and Tourism Council is forecasting double digit improvement figures by 2032.