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‘Sell Caribbean, it’s open for business’
Amie Keeley
amie.keeley@
travelweekly.co.uk
Industry leaders have issued a rallying call to the trade to get behind the Caribbean following the devastating impact of Hurricane Irma.
Despite the widespread damage,
tourism chiefs stressed many popular destinations are very much “open for business” and now more than ever is the time to encourage visitors to travel to parts of the region not affected. The two most-popular destinations for British travellers – Barbados and Jamaica – were untouched by the hurricane. Carol Hay, the CTO’s marketing
director for the UK & Europe, said: “We don’t want visitors to turn away from the Caribbean. We are open for business.” Jean-Marc Flambert, vice-
president of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, said tourism makes up 60% of Antigua and Barbuda’s gross domestic product. Barbuda has been totally evacuated and needs to be rebuilt,
whereas Antigua was relatively unscathed. He said: “People should not feel
guilty about coming to Antigua. We need tourism; we need people’s livelihoods to continue. “If the travel industry doesn’t continue to sell the Caribbean, the economic damage that could be done could be quite serious.” Norwegian Cruise Line’s UK boss, Nick Wilkinson, pleaded for agents to sell as many holidays to the Caribbean as possible. He said: “They need us and our passengers more than ever. “Sell them land holidays or
cruises, I don’t care what. Just support the islands and help the people rebuild their lives.” A number of relief funds set
up to help communities and tourist destinations are calling for donations to speed up the rebuilding and recovery process. The Caribbean Tourism
Organisation (CTO) has activated its Relief Fund, while the BVI Tourist Board in London has set up a fund on behalf of the Virgin
Islands’ government. › Comment: Carol Hay, page 32
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Agents prove ‘vital link’ for customers
Ben Ireland
ben.ireland@
travelweekly.co.uk
As Hurricane Irma tore through the Caribbean, agents became the vital link between operators inundated with calls and customers desperate for answers. Welsh agency Regal Travel helped a honeymoon couple due to fly to Cuba rebook to Cyprus. Manager Karen James went
back to the Bridgend branch at 8pm while her customers were at Gatwick. She said: “They didn’t want to go – the bride was crying. Thomson called off the flights, but we found them something just as nice in Cyprus, flying from Cardiff a few days later. It’s important to keep in contact so they don’t feel isolated.” Richard Cooper, partner at Northern Ireland-based Carefree Travel, spent two days working with Royal Caribbean and operator American Holidays to change a couple’s honeymoon cruise and Vegas itinerary to avoid the hurricane. Cruise Nation owner Phil
Evans said it had been “crazy” at the agency, which set up a 24-hour rapid response line. He said passengers had not
been able to travel, were stuck at sea, stranded in resort and refused check-in at hotels. “We’ve dealt with it all,” he said. “My team have done an amazing job.” The Travel Network Group
provided crisis plans for its members’ customers and helped them reschedule while The Advantage Travel Partnership set up a hurricane hotline and created an intranet page for members displaying advice from operators and the Foreign Office. Susan Young, of The Holiday
Arcade in Selby, North Yorkshire, said it was now up to agents to help customers with forward bookings. She has a 30-strong wedding party booked at the Iberostar in Varadero, Cuba, with Thomas Cook next month. “At this stage they’re in limbo,” she said. "We don’t know if the hotel is going to be open and it would be a nightmare to change destination or date. It’s our job to make it as easy as possible.”
14 September 2017
travelweekly.co.uk 5
PICTURES: CAPTAIN GEORGE EATWELL RM/HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK; REUTERS; CARLOS BARRIA; RICARDO ROJAS; GREGG NEWTON
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