Nations ravaged by Hurricane Irma look to tourism to fund recovery

This hurricane season has caused billions of dollars in damage across the Caribbean and southern U.S. — ravaging locations best known to Canadians as beloved vacation destinations.

As summer in Canada winds down, people starting to plan winter vacations are faced with a dilemma: should they go ahead and book a trip down south and hope that their tourism dollars go toward a country’s recovery — or should they stay away until island nations get back on their feet?

Experts say your tourism dollars can go a long way to help with rebuilding efforts.

Antigua’s tourism minister is asking tourists to come back, two weeks after Hurricane Irma destroyed the country’s sister island of Barbuda. The islands are only 45 kilometres apart, but while Antigua was relatively unscathed, Barbuda is facing US$300 million in repairs.

“The message that we would like to get across to the international community is that Antigua and Barbuda is up and running,” said Asot Michael, minister of tourism for Antigua and Barbuda.

“The best way you can help our sister island of Barbuda, which has been devastated, is by taking a vacation, coming to Antigua, spending your … dollars in Antigua.”

Early estimates place the financial cost of Irma’s destruction at around US$10 billion across the affected islands, according to a United Nations agency. Tourism dollars will now fund much of the Caribbean’s recovery efforts.

Last year, travel and tourism contributed US$56 billion — or about 15 per cent — of the total gross domestic product of the Caribbean.

Tourism expert Frederic Dimanche said Canadians going back this winter will be critical to rebuilding efforts, especially in Cuba.

“Continue to go to Cuba,” he said. “Irma definitely put a big hurt on Varadero and those resorts, but Cuba is a big island, there are other places to go and visit.”

Travel agents get regular updates from suppliers, hotel chains, and the countries themselves on where it’s both safe and critical to send tourists.

Megan Vonhone, a travel agent with Flight Centre, is also recommending Cuba this winter.

“I would say Varadero and Havana,” she said. “We know that it was affected, but not as badly as the other areas such as Cayo Coco.”

Vonhone is advising travelers to book now and not wait until hurricane season is over. The number of resorts open to tourists will be smaller this winter, and they will likely book up fast, she said.