Tourist arrivals to the Caribbean fell by 65.5 per cent in 2020, according to the Caribbean Tourism Organization, CTO, but the group is forecasting a turnaround this year.

In a statement released on Monday, the CTO said the impact of COVID-19 on the travel and tourism industry was particularly evident during the period of April to mid-June, when there was literally no activity in some destinations.

“This was characterised by empty hotels and restaurants, deserted attractions, shut borders, laid-off workers, grounded airlines and crippled cruise lines. While we saw some fluctuations in the levels of visitors for the remaining months of 2020, the influx of visitors has not reached levels even closely comparable to those being experienced prior to March 2020,” it said.

“In fact, some destinations remain closed to visitors, with limited airlift primarily for repatriation of locals and cargo.”

https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/business/20210317/regional-tourist-visits-down-65-cent-says-cto