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Following Hurricane Beryl, the Caribbean tourism sector has demonstrated impressive resilience, with travel bookings quickly bouncing back. The storm, a Category 4 hurricane, struck the Grenadines on July 1, but the subsequent recovery has been swift, especially from the United States, the region’s primary market.

ForwardKeys, in collaboration with the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), highlights this quick recovery in their recent air travel data analysis. Although the storm led to a temporary drop in bookings, the overall data shows a strong resilience in the region’s tourism industry.

Short-term Drop in Caribbean Bookings

CountryTickets between 16-29 JuneTickets between 30 June – 23 JulyJamaica+5%-24%Cuba-18%-17%Grenada+26%-14%Bahamas+5%-7%Cayman Islands+11%-7%Curaçao-9%-6%Guadeloupe+8%-5%Barbados+6%-4%Martinique+8%-1%Dominican Republic+7%+3%Caribbean (Overall)+9%-2%

Despite an immediate downturn after the hurricane, where Caribbean bookings dipped slightly by 2% from June 30 to July 23 compared to the previous year, the impact was more severe in areas directly hit by the storm, such as a 14% decline in Grenada and a 24% drop in Jamaica. However, the pre-storm period saw a 9% rise in bookings across the Caribbean, with Jamaica and Grenada experiencing increases of 5% and 26%, respectively.

Tickets issued for international arrivals to the Caribbean, with specific focus on the overall Caribbean trend and tickets from the U.S.:

DateCaribbean Year-on-Year VariationU.S. Year-on-Year Variation10-Jun+10%+5%15-Jun+5%0%20-Jun-5%-10%25-Jun+5%+10%30-Jun-15%-30%05-Jul-25%-35%10-Jul+15%+20%15-Jul+20%+25%20-Jul+10%+15%23-Jul+5%+10%

The United States has been instrumental in the rapid recovery, with ticket sales to the Caribbean showing growth from July 9 onward, outpacing the general market recovery. This rebound is noteworthy considering the initial 36% drop in bookings from the U.S. right after the storm.

Grenada, despite being in the path of the hurricane, has experienced a swift comeback. Even though intra-Caribbean ticket sales and bookings from major U.S. cities initially fell, by late July, bookings were nearly back to normal. Despite a 51% surge in last-minute cancellations for July trips, August and beyond saw a much smaller increase in cancellations, underscoring a significant recovery. The market for business travel and visits to friends and relatives in Grenada has notably surged since early July.

Ticket sales from the U.S. to Grenada from June 10 to July 23, here’s a table reflecting the year-on-year variation:

DateYear-on-Year Variation10-Jun-40%14-Jun+60%18-Jun+20%22-Jun-10%26-Jun+30%30-Jun-20%04-Jul-80%08-Jul+40%12-Jul+20%16-Jul+50%20-Jul+30%23-Jul+20%

Similarly, Jamaica has seen a quick restoration to normal booking levels from the Caribbean, indicating that the initial impact of the hurricane was temporary and confidence among travelers was quickly restored.

Tickets issued from the Caribbean to Jamaica between June 16 and July 23, indicating the year-on-year variation:

DateYear-on-Year Variation16-Jun+40%20-Jun-10%24-Jun+20%28-Jun-60%02-Jul-40%06-Jul+30%10-Jul+10%14-Jul+60%18-Jul+40%22-Jul+50%

Olivier Ponti, Director of Intelligence and Marketing at ForwardKeys, commented: “ForwardKeys’ comprehensive travel intelligence clearly shows the significant short-term impact that Hurricane Beryl had on travel to the Caribbean, particularly to those islands in the direct path of the storm. However, the speed of the recovery is a highly encouraging sign of the resilience of the region’s tourism economy. The U.S. market, which is so critical for the Caribbean, is leading the way, while segments such as group travel and VFR are rebounding more strongly as humanitarian and essential travel pick up pace. While there was an immediate and severe hit to bookings, we are seeing a normalization to 2023 levels across the region, which bodes well for the remainder of the season.”

“While the impact of Hurricane Beryl was felt directly in the affected destinations – St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique, and South Coast of Jamaica – as well as indirectly in other islands in the region, it’s crucial to remember that the Caribbean is vast. While travel to affected areas temporarily decreased, numerous destinations untouched by the storm remain fully operational and open for business. Moreover, the swift rebound in bookings from the U.S., our largest source market, underscores our region’s enduring appeal. This rapid recovery not only highlights our industry’s resilience and strength but also reaffirms our unwavering commitment to overcoming challenges,” remarked Nicola Madden-Greig, President of CHTA.

The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) continues to play a pivotal role in representing and supporting the interests of national hotel and tourism associations across the region.

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