Caribbean tourism recovers from pandemic

SAN JUAN (AP) — Tourism in the Caribbean has reached levels not seen since the start of the pandemic and even surpassed pre-pandemic levels in the Dutch islands and U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico, officials said Tuesday. .

More than 28 million people visited the region in 2022, an increase of more than 50% from the previous year, according to the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

“It is clear that even in the face of the devastating blows of the pandemic, as a region we have responded with hope, strength and determination,” Kenneth Bryan, the organization’s chief, told a press conference in Barbados.

More than 50% of visitors were American: 14.6 million, or 3 million more than last year. The number of Europeans almost doubled to 5.2 million. Visits from Canadians, however, did not resume as expected and totaled 2.1 million.

Governments, tourism officials and local businesses have hailed the increase in visitation, to one of the world’s most tourism-dependent regions.

“The Caribbean region has seen one of the fastest recovery rates of 2022,” said Neil Walters, secretary general of the tourism organization.

Six islands and countries, including Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and the US Virgin Islands, exceeded the number of visits they had before the pandemic, Walters said.

The number of cruises also exploded last year with 19.2 million visits, five times the number of the previous year. However, it remained below the record of 30.4 million reached in 2019.

Almost all destinations reported an increase in visits, with the exception of Haiti, where visits fell by 20% amid violence and political instability. Bryan said tourism officials expect visits to the Caribbean to increase 15% this year, possibly surpassing pre-pandemic levels. A record 32 million people visited the Caribbean in 2019, a number that fell by 65% ​​the following year when the pandemic hit.