LETTER: Who Cares About the Future Sustainability of Caribbean Resorts?

Who Cares About the Future Sustainability of Caribbean Resorts?

Which organizations are truly focused on the sustainability of the Caribbean’s resort industry and the growth of stay-over visitor tourism in the region? Every winter high season Caribbean hotels face increased direct competition from giant floating resorts – the highest density of cruise ships in the world.

Governments in the region seem overly impressed with the huge growth in cruise visitor numbers. They are less focused on the resort sector or in increasing air services. Taxation structures favor the cruise lines, with low port passenger fees, at the expense of high taxes on air travel and resorts.

Last month the Caribbean Tourism Organization presented its Sustainable Tourism Awards for 2026. Is it ironic that two awards were sponsored by Norwegian Caribbean Line and Carnival Corporation? Is there concern that the CTO’s Secretary General has spent much of her career in cruise industry related jobs?  There are three cruise lines listed as CTO Allied members, but only one hotel group.

The immense wealth and influence of the cruise lines is clear. This scenario might concern Caribbean companies, dependent on stay-over visitor tourism, about CTO’s priorities.

In July 2008 the Caribbean Hotel Association changed to the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association to expand its representation of the wider industry. I warned then that this change would dilute the resort sector’s specific interests. Today some CHTA allied members provide cruise industry services and CHTA acknowledges it is involved in some collaboration with the cruise lines. My warning appears prophetic.

The Caribbean’s intrinsic high operating costs mean that budget hotels are now scarcely viable businesses on many islands. Even luxury resorts depend on the winter season’s higher occupancy and room rates to sustain them through the low season. High costs of transportation, construction and energy present challenges for new resort development, particularly, on smaller islands.

Is it time to establish a new entity to solely champion the interests of companies which provide stay-over visitor accommodation and those which develop new resorts? These vital businesses employ local people and pay local taxes and import duties – Caribbean hotels, villa and condo rentals, timeshare resorts and marinas.

A new Caribbean Resort Association would lobby governments more effectively to achieve improved economic conditions for the sustainability of existing resorts and for the development of new resort projects. An early priority would be a more equitable rebalancing of tax burdens between the cruise industry in favor of airlines and resorts. Working with regional and international airlines, resorts’ natural partners, the CRA would focus on increasing flights into and within the region. Growth in air travel would boost stay-over visitor numbers on a year-round basis, stabilizing local economies.

The CRA would champion reef and beach conservation and prioritize lower cost green energy. It would better support local suppliers and promote local culture. The CRA would oppose the environmental degradation, evident through cruise ship impacted overtourism in many of the Caribbean’s towns, beaches and reefs.

How else will the Caribbean’s stay-over visitor tourism be prioritized? The need is urgent. If not now, when?

Robert MacLellan

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