Coral reefs worth billions to the Caribbean tourism industry
According to a recent study by the Nature Conservancy, coral reefs contribute over US$7.9 billion annually to the Caribbean economy through tourism. This represents 23% of all tourism expenditures and more than 10% of the region’s GDP. The study, which was supported by JetBlue, the World Travel and Tourism Council, …
Tourism and conservation connect at Jamaica Inn
Travel Weekly highlights the Jamaica Inn and the work that’s being done there to conserve and restore coral reefs: As a child growing up in Jamaica, Belinda Morrow remembers snorkeling amid large schools of neon-colored fish nibbling on healthy coral just beyond the white sand beaches of Ocho Rios. Now …
Sandals Grenada encourages guests to hunt invasive lionfish
At Sandals Grenada, resort guests can get actively involved in combatting the lionfish invasion in the Caribbean: At Sandals Grenada, guests with scuba certifications are encouraged to hunt fish — lionfish, specifically — on their holiday. The species is the cane toad of the Caribbean, invasive and multiplying at lightning …
Opportunity: Eden Roc at Cap Cana seeks sustainability advisor
Luxury resort Eden Roc at Cap Cana, in the Dominican Republic, has launched an Instagram competition to find a Sustainability Advisor: As part of its ongoing commitment to sustainability, Eden Roc at Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic has launched a global search for a Sustainability Advisor this summer. The …
Bonaire brands itself the world’s first “Blue Destination”
The island of Bonaire is positioning itself as the first “Blue Destination” in the Caribbean and the world. From Tourism Bonaire: In celebration of World Ocean Day, Bonaire proudly announces the development of a multifaceted public private partnership program that will officially establish Bonaire as the first Blue Destination. In …
Birding in Trinidad and Tobago: the economic benefits
In a post on the blog Wild Tobago, wildlife photographer Faraaz Abdool writes about birding in Trinidad and Tobago and the potential for economic benefit through avitourism: For a physically tiny country, T&T has an extreme wealth and diversity of birdlife. Clocking almost five hundred avian species, our twin islands …
Valuing beaches and reefs in Barbados
This study on The Economic Importance of Coastal and Marine Resources to Tourism in Barbados is not new (it’s from May 2017), but it’s still worth a read. Here’s an extract from the study summary: Barbados is experiencing extreme degradation of its coastal and marine resources due to overfishing, coastal overdevelopment, …