FORT LAUDERDALE — In 2022 hotels and resorts in the Caribbean will approach close to 80% of their pre-pandemic performance, with some destinations setting all-time records.

That’s just one of the positive stats cited by Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) President Nicola Madden-Greig, in a recent overview of the Caribbean’s tourism recovery at this point in the pandemic.

Madden-Greig says the Caribbean’s tourism renaissance is well underway, with some destinations approaching or exceeding record visitor arrival numbers. Pent-up traveller demand, strong lift, the elimination or significant reduction in travel restrictions and attractive pricing are all fuelling the resurgence. Cruise ships have returned too.

Madden-Greig pointed to the announcement last month by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) at its global summit in Manila, recognizing the Caribbean and Latin America as leading the global tourism recovery.

“Today’s traveller has many choices when planning a Caribbean getaway, thanks to the efforts of so many. Over the past decade we’ve seen an explosion of new and upgraded hotels and infrastructure improvements. During the pandemic many hotels and attractions used the time to improve on their product and service offerings, also recognizing the changing needs of the discerning traveler. We continue to offer accommodation experiences which appeal to the full range of traveler interests. Beyond our world-famous beaches and waters, travellers can experience our diverse cultural, culinary and historic treasures. And we’ve worked diligently to put in place health safety protocols which are effective and as non-intrusive as possible,” she said.

ForwardKeys, CHTA’s data partner, recently reported that the Caribbean and Latin America are leading the summer outlook in terms of the return of leisure travel, noting that five destinations – Aruba, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Mexico and The Bahamas – are among the “most resilient” based on confirmed arrivals for the summer.

Developer confidence is also evident in STR’s most current pipeline report, with close to 30,000 rooms in development or under construction over the next five years.