As Caribbean destinations prepare to host major events, including vibrant festivals, carnivals, homecomings, and the highly anticipated International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup, tourism and public health stakeholders call on the region to remain diligent while reaffirming their commitment to health safety measures.
Amidst the excitement of these upcoming events, there is a unified push to recommit to essential health protocols and practices, ensuring the protection of employees and visitors alike. A vital element of this initiative is the expansion of the Caribbean Public Health Agency’s (CARPHA) Tourism Health Information System (THiS) to capture and respond immediately to negative health events. CARPHA is also building capacity in countries to encourage the widespread practice of food safety and to prevent and control the spread of infectious diseases in the hospitality sector.
This move builds on a decade of collaboration between health and tourism officials in the Caribbean. The partnership has laid the groundwork for the region’s swift recovery from the global COVID-19 pandemic declared by the World Health Organization over four years ago. This collaboration was formed through the Caribbean Tourism and Health Program (THP) in 2014, following a Memorandum of Understanding signed by CARPHA, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
The Caribbean’s successful navigation of the pandemic, marked by one of the lowest per capita COVID-19 rates and among the fastest recoveries worldwide in tourism and the economy, sets a strong foundation for rebuilding its events and group business segments. With groups and events accounting for over 20 percent of the region’s tourism business, ensuring a healthy environment is paramount to its success.
Nicola Madden Greig, President of CHTA, underscored the importance of “cohesive regional cooperation,” which was advanced during the pandemic. She said she had full confidence in the unified public-private sector approach to collaboration: “With the Caribbean being on such a positive growth trajectory, we cannot be complacent, and our efforts must be bolstered by a strong communications approach to continue to protect our residents and visitors while reaping the rewards of our resilient tourism industry.”
Dr. Joy St. John, Executive Director of CARPHA, concurred, asserting, “Globally, we are witnessing a resurgence of diseases such as measles, dengue fever, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and noroviruses, while new COVID-19 variants continue to develop. As one of the world’s leading travel destinations, we must remain vigilant to protect our employees and visitors.”
Similarly, CTO’s Secretary General, Dona Regis-Prosper, stressed, “As we continue to welcome visitors to experience the Caribbean’s breathtaking natural beauty and vibrant cultural heritage, we must uphold our commitment to ensuring a healthy environment.”
Dr. Didacus Jules, Director General of the OECS, shared his commendation of the relaunch and stated, “The OECS is delighted to see the return of major events allowing residents and visitors to share in our authentic experiences, and is pleased to continue its partnership with CARPHA and other regional tourism organizations towards healthier, safer tourism.”
In support of these goals and response to recent health and safety concerns, CARPHA is redoubling its outreach to the tourism industry, offering training, online tools, and resources to enhance health safety protocols.
Dr. Lisa Indar, Director of the Surveillance Disease Prevention and Control Division and Head of the Regional Tourism and Health Program at CARPHA, noted, “This year, we have launched a robust outreach effort to urge all Caribbean tourism-related businesses to renew their commitments to health and safety, refresh their training and protocols, and participate in the highly effective Tourism and Health Information System (THiS), a confidential online knowledge, help center and reporting system, and other CARPHA trainings, all towards advancing a healthier safer tourism product.”
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