CARPHA celebrates Caribbean Tourism Month 2024 with its Tourism Partners

The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) said it is proud to join its partners, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) and other regional tourism stakeholders in celebrating Caribbean Tourism Month 2024. Observed each November, this year’s theme, “One Caribbean: Building a Resilient Future,” highlights the region’s commitment to unity, recovery, and sustainable development, strengthening the Caribbean tourism sector’s resilience and sustainability for generations to come.

In a release, CARPHA points out that tourism remains the lifeblood of Caribbean economies, making the region one of the most tourism-dependent in the world. However, the increase in international travel unfortunately, also increases the risk of introduction of emerging diseases, such as COVID-19. This reality, combined with the fact that the Caribbean region consists of small island developing states (SIDs), which have highly interconnected and porous borders, and are increasingly vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters, impacts on the resilience of the region’s tourism product. Despite these challenges,

Caribbean tourism has demonstrated remarkable resilience, the regional health agency adds, noting that the region’s tourism sector led the world in recovery rates, welcoming approximately 32.2 million visitors in 2023.

CARPHA, through its novel Regional Tourism and Health Programme (THP), supported by CTO and CHTA, plays a vital role in advancing the health, safety, and sustainability of Caribbean tourism by strengthening health and safety measures to promote safer, healthier experiences for both residents and visitors.

Ad Interim Executive Director of CARPHA, Dr. Lisa Indar remarked, “As we celebrate Caribbean Tourism Month, CARPHA remains dedicated to advancing health and safety for both residents and visitors. The implementation of the THP in the Caribbean provides the region with a distinct and competitive advantage over other destinations as a measurable healthier safer destination. Visitors now have the freedom of choosing a tourism destination or entity with a THP ‘Healthier Safer Tourism Award’ – an award granted to an entity that has implemented proactive health and safety measures.”

The THP is an internationally recognized programme that uses a comprehensive approach to enhance health, safety, and environmental standards across the Caribbean. Through a real-time confidential monitoring and response system, capacity building, health and safety guidelines, operational standards, and partnerships, the THP aims to reinforce traveller confidence and create a sustainable, resilient tourism product. CARPHA further states that this multi-sectoral programme is a first of its kind globally, setting a new standard for tourism safety and health, and contributing to a resilient Caribbean tourism sector.