CHTA promotes a comprehensive tourism resilience model to global leaders

The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), together with its public sector partner, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), participated in the Global Tourism Resilience Day Forum held in Nairobi, Kenya, where it presented a strategic framework that seeks to position the Caribbean not only as a region capable of overcoming crises, but as a destination that systematically and collaboratively builds the foundations to emerge stronger.

During the meeting, CHTA President Sanovnik Destang and former President Nicola Madden-Greig argued that resilience has moved beyond a reactive response to become an institutional, collaborative, and increasingly digital process. The forum was organized by Jamaica's Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, founder of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre, who succinctly described the new landscape: "Resilience is the new currency of tourism."

Three pillars of modern resilience

Destang outlined a model based on three pillars: physical infrastructure, digital infrastructure, and human resilience. He explained that a destination's level of digital maturity now determines the speed and competitiveness of its recovery.

Drawing on regional experience during the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricane Melissa, the executive emphasized how digital tools allow for anticipating risk scenarios, maintaining real-time communication with guests and business partners, and accelerating reactivation through dynamic pricing systems, CRM, and online repositioning campaigns.

“Digital systems are no longer just marketing tools; they are operational continuity infrastructure,” Destang stated, noting that destinations with greater technological development reopen faster and recover demand more effectively.

An institutional foundation of more than 25 years

For her part, Madden-Greig emphasized that the Caribbean approach to resilience is based on more than 25 years of coordinated work between CHTA, the CTO and national tourism associations, with crisis management protocols, health and safety standards and training programs integrated into the structure of the sector.

During the pandemic, this coordination enabled the implementation of regional health and safety certifications and the joint training of over 10,000 hotel supervisors, managers, and owners, in conjunction with the Caribbean Public Health Agency. These measures, as reported, contributed to the Caribbean recording some of the lowest per capita hospitalization and mortality rates globally and achieving a faster recovery than other competing destinations.

Hurricane Melissa presented another key test, particularly for Jamaica, where tourism contributes nearly 40% of GDP. The immediate activation of a Tourism Recovery Task Force, the implementation of a public digital dashboard with real-time information on airports, hotels, and attractions, and the use of satellite connectivity to support operations and bookings were identified as key factors in preserving the confidence of airlines, tour operators, and travel agents.

Artificial intelligence and regional value chains

The CHTA also presented progress from its Technology Task Force and the Artificial Intelligence Guide for Caribbean Tourism (version 2.0), which promotes a structured and responsible adoption of AI in areas such as guest services, predictive maintenance, revenue optimization, and energy management.

“Artificial intelligence does not replace Caribbean hospitality; it is the power in efficiency and competitiveness,” Destang noted.

Finally, the presenters emphasized the need to extend resilience beyond hotels to the entire economy. They cited Jamaica's ALEX system, which connects hotels with local agricultural producers, as an example, and recent studies by the regional private sector that estimate greater intra-Caribbean integration could generate savings of US$1.3 billion, in addition to reducing exposure to external disruptions in supply chains and expanding the participation of SMEs.

With this approach, the Caribbean seeks to consolidate a resilient, smart and technologically integrated tourism strategy, reinforcing its competitiveness on the global stage.

Fuente: Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association