Following the devastating Hurricane Irma, which leveled Barbuda, the Virgin Islands, St. Martin, St. Barths, the Florida Keys, and other parts of the Caribbean, two travel industry groups have partnered to raise funds to rebuild and return the area to its famed tourism status. Tourism Cares and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association have created the Hurricane Tourism Fund to allow the tourism industry pool their resources to support the Caribbean.
“Tourism is the quickest way to rebound an economy, put people back to work and generate badly needed tax revenues to support reconstruction. By working together, we should be able to build a better and more resilient sector,” said Karolin Troubetzkoy, president of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA). “The Recovery Fund will help us as we gather together to marshal investment support for the most severely affected areas and to help hoteliers and their staff get back to business,” she stated.
The greatest benefit will be felt in destinations such as St. Maarten-St. Martin, Anguilla, St. Barts, Barbuda, and the British and U.S. Virgin Islands. Included also will be the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southern Bahamas, where the impact of Irma is still being assessed. Funds will focus on affected communities and organizations in need of projects such as the physical restoration of damaged attractions and cultural tourism nonprofits, including historical monuments, beaches or open spaces and visitor centers.
Donations may be made
online or by check (payable to Caribbean Hurricane Tourism Recovery Fund c/o Tourism Cares, 20 Vernon St., Norwood, MA 02062.
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