MIAMI, United States (CMC) — A senior official of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) has welcomed the cooperation between regional governments and public health authorities in their efforts to minimise the effects of the novel coronavirus pandemic and to strengthen Caribbean resilience.

Comito, who is also the CHTA chief executive officer and a member of the COVID-19 Caribbean Tourism Task Force, said the Caribbean had effectively minimised the spread of the disease because regional health authorities, governments, and tourism industry stakeholders were able to adjust and apply health and safety protocols used to effectively manage risks in the past.

He said the Caribbean tourism sector was able to rebound strongly from adversity after developing resilience from experiences such as hurricanes, the 2011 terrorist attack in the United States, Zika, chikungunya, volcano eruptions, and earthquakes.

Comito said traveller confidence in the region would be strengthened by building upon such experiences: “We are seeing an unprecedented level of collaboration and resolve to manage the risks from this new virus.

Comito said he was encouraged by the work being undertaken by many jurisdictions, notably destinations like the US Virgin Islands, Jamaica, St Lucia, Barbados, Puerto Rico, The Bahamas, St Maarten, Aruba, Curaçao, and many others which have been working with tourism and health officials, local hotel and tourism associations, individual hotels, resorts, and the business community to draw up guidelines.