The latest Caribbean Photo comes from Caribbean Journal reader Al Snow, who sent in this gorgeous shot of Pelican Beach on Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Have you taken a great photo in the Caribbean?
Send it to news@caribjournal.com with CPOTW in the subject line.
The Word Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) expects a $230 billion worth of losses in the Caribbean and Latin America due to the decimated tourism industry caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
In a Reuters report, the president of the WTTC said that the organization expects 12.4 million job cuts and losses in the tourism sector, which is primarily the lifeblood of the Caribbean region.
When the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic in March, countries around the world imposed a number of restrictions to curb the spread of the disease.
To date, there have been 27,973,127 confirmed cases of COVID-19 globally, including 905,426 deaths, reported to WHO.
The hit from the pandemic would leave the industry in Latin America and the Caribbean barely a third the size it was last year, according to the data from WTTC, the main global forum representing tourism.
Job losses will be of a similar scale. “There is no country that escapes,” WTTC president Gloria Guevara said in an interview with Reuters.
In Mexico, the country that receives the most visitors in Latin America, the tourism sector is expecting to rack up losses worth $129 billion. Almost five million people are expected to lose jobs—this is about 69% of the work force in Mexican tourism.
Worldwide, the pandemic threatens to trigger losses worth $5.5 trillion in tourism and 197.5 million job losses, the WTTC revealed.
Guevara also said that while countries try to open their borders to international travel again, the lack of standardised protocols to manage travel has been contributing to the challenge. This includes issues such as airport testing to give tourists greater confidence and help accelerate the recovery,
The WTTC expects the tourism industry to be able to bounce back in 18 months, as long as there is a global collaboration and appropriate measures are in place. If not, this struggle could last in three to four years more.
Royal Caribbean CEO joins task force for safe return of Caribbean tourism
Meanwhile, in a report by the Royal Caribbean blog, Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley revealed on Thursday that he is co-chairing a task force handling the safe return of cruising to the Caribbean.
At a meeting of the Miami-Dade County Tourism and the Ports Committee, Bayley spoke of the work everyone in Royal Caribbean is doing to get back to cruising, including this Caribbean island task force.
The Americas Cruise Tourism Task Force is co-chaired with the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley. It is made up of over 40 different Caribbean countries.
No other destination in the world is as closely associated with all-inclusive resorts as Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. The beach destination on the east coast of the Dominican Republic hosts around 5 million visitors in a typical year, and dozens of its 100-plus resort hotels are all-inclusives where you’ll pay one price for your room, meals, and most drinks, activities, and entertainment.
Not all of the resorts in Punta Cana have reopened in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, but here are 15 Punta Cana all-inclusive hotels that are welcoming you back to the beaches of Punta Cana, Cap Cana, and Bavaro right now:
The Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana.
Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana: A freeform pool is embraced by mid-rise hotel buildings at this Hyatt branded all-inclusive beach resort, which welcomes families and couples with a dozen restaurants, a water park, swim-up suites, and all the activities of the Cap Cana community.
If you haven’t gotten around to visiting Anguilla as yet, imagine an island the size of Manhattan with the population of just two high-rises, surrounded by 33 sugary white beaches, lapped by stunning turquoise waters ‒ with temps in the mid-80s and a tropical breeze, just about 365.
After years of commuting before and after daylight, we decided to trade our sidewalks for beach walks. It only took a few trips for my husband and I to decide Anguilla was quite simply the very best place to live ‒ and work remotely.
Soon thereafter, we found half an acre overlooking the rocks and a shimmering vista of turquoise, emeralds, sapphires and pearl strands where the waves met the reefs to the north.
Over the next two years, we built a new house, sold the old one, and then locked the door behind us with two cats and one-way tickets to Anguilla.
The Wi-Fi was better than what we had in New Jersey, with access to US television on cable and any newspaper online. Although Anguilla is a British Overseas Territory, our US appliances plugged right in, and US dollars and credit cards are accepted everywhere with a standard conversion rate to Eastern Caribbean currency. And we have taken beach walks nearly every morning ever since.
These are just some of the basics that eased our transition to living and working in Anguilla. Still, anything you’ve read about the glorious beaches, luxurious villas, resorts and dozens of delicious restaurant options being outdone only by the people is true.
One more similarity to Manhattan is that the people comprise a sophisticated, well-traveled, strong and egalitarian community that also values common sense, faith, and courtesy. And for good measure, some of the most punctual and professional people I’ve ever met are born Anguillians.
Did I forget to mention cosmopolitan?
In addition to Anguillians, several hundred Americans, Canadians and a few English and European denizens, Anguilla is also regionally diverse, with residents and naturalized citizens hailing from as far south as Guyana, Trinidad, Barbados, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent, to Dominica and Montserrat, to Saint Kitts, Nevis and Saint Martin/Sint Maarten, to Antigua, the British and US Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic – and Bermuda.
And those are just the countries represented by people we’ve befriended over the years. Indeed, being welcomed into the Anguillian ethos is every bit as engaging as one might hope when given a choice to live anyplace in the world.
In fact, some of the best chefs’ talents we’ve ever savored anywhere are also right here in Anguilla. Across a vast array of creative, independent eateries, the vibrant, varied culture has influenced the cuisine. From beach burgers, rice and peas and barbeque, to French, Mexican, Asian, Italian, classic Anguillian and regional dishes from throughout the Caribbean, the island has offered evolving but always delectable food since our first trip, to where we’ll dine tonight. There are also nearly as many versions of rum punch, signature cocktails, and from elegant to award-winning wine options as there are establishments, as well.
Standouts? Anguillian crayfish (think small lobster, not crawdads!) – and most dishes on traditional menus from Chef Dale at Tasty’s and at E’s Oven, warm Johnny cakes bathed in ice cream and caramel sauce at SandBar, lasagna at Dolce Vita and Vera Pizza at Artisan, roasted corn and quesadillas at Picante, innovations at Ember, terrine of foie gras and lavender ice cream at Hibernia, and everything prepared by Relaix & Châteaux Chef Dominique – and Joya’s mango crème brulee – at Quintessence, to name only a few.
Anguilla’s newest hotel is the Quintessence.
Speaking of choices, part of the allure of living in Anguilla has always been knowing we could also be dining or shopping in New York or Paris in just a few hours on direct flights through nearby Sint Maarten.
Of course, this year’s seismic shifts have put such things once taken for granted into new light. As we stared out from the terrace at the silver glaze on the afternoon horizon a few weeks into our brief lockdown, realizing we literally could not travel was actually comforting.
After all, if one had to be caught anywhere when the borders closed, Anguilla was surely the only place we would want to be.
Those one-way tickets were priceless.
We think anyone who trades their sidewalks for beach walks in Anguilla is likely to agree.
Melinda K. M. Goddard is a business consultant and the author of “One Way Ticket: From America to Anguilla” – the story of building a new villa and a new life in paradise.
