ABSTRACT
Travel and tourism is key for the sustainability of Caribbean economies, driving employment and
revenue generation for many of the states. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,
catalysed by travel, drastically debilitated the Caribbean economies, causing significant
economic and job losses, disruptions of crucial services and threatened
regional health security. The pandemic reiterated the need for the inclusion of
health as a critical part of the travel and tourism sector. The Regional
Tourism and Health Program (THP), via surveillance and response, capacity building, standards,
partnerships, travellers’ health recognition award and mobile app, is crucial
for the recovery of the tourism sector by improving the health and safety of
Caribbean people, contributing toward strengthened resilience of Caribbean
tourism and the sustainability of its economies. The research seeks to
highlight the impact that COVID-19 has had on specific industries core to
Caribbean tourism, and how these challenges
were addressed utilizing the various tools and products created through
the THP. Due to COVID-19, the Program has repurposed and expanded many of its
tools for a more robust response, to boost travellers’ confidence and
re-establish healthier, safer return to travel in the Caribbean. This
innovative program, the first global effort of its kind, continues to strive
toward bolstering sustainable tourism and health security, lending toward
improved economic stability in the Caribbean. Through these tools, 7836 persons
were trained, 789 businesses were registered on THP’s land-based visitor
surveillance system, 1190 alerts on incoming cruise ships were issued to Member
States and 108 tourist facilities were awarded the Healthier, Safer Tourism
Stamp. This paper will discuss the tools within the Program and illustrate how
the THP can support the Caribbean’s preparedness and response to COVID-19 and
other public health threats, and improve the recovery and sustainability of
Caribbean tourism.