ForwardKeys Joins the CHTA to Present Latest Caribbean Travel Report

This week one of the travel industry’s most respected events is underway in Barbados – The Caribbean Marketplace. As their trusted data partners, jointly ForwardKeys collaborated on the Caribbean Travel Trends Report with CHTA, featuring a top 20 destinations by country list, and examining key destinations that showed uncanny resilience and travel data mastery during Covid-19: Aruba, Saint Lucia, US Virgin Islands, and Bonaire.

The Caribbean was back to pre-pandemic levels of international visitor arrivals in Q1 of 2023, down by just 1%. An amazing feat considering the context of global international travel, still down by 31% against 2019.

The world is a more competitive place for the tourism industry, now that most COVID-19 requirements and restrictions are over; while the reopening of China represents the dawn of a new era where COVID-19 seems finally in the rear mirror. 

Consequently, the travel landscape is more competitive now that travelers have more choices, and due to pent-up demand for destinations that were previously off-limits or less accessible (South America, Southeast Asia). 2023 could be considered the first year without COVID19 for the tourism industry. The Caribbean destinations achieved a leadership position in the last years, now it is time to sustain it.

What is even more encouraging is that the latest air ticketing data from ForwardKeys shows that several destinations within the Caribbean have now switched to growth mode. Guadeloupe, US Virgin Islands, Sint Maarten, Martinique, and Turks & Caicos Islands are all in double-digit growth compared to the same period in the pre-pandemic. 

The Caribbean region pulled through some of the worst parts of the health crisis due to quick and clever travel regulations and practices the respective government authorities put into place. But some destinations remained more resilient than others. Fast forward to 2023, and some key players still reign supreme.

“The success of our region’s recovery is a testament to the power of collaboration. Tourism leaders, businesses, governments, organizations, airlines, and our hospitality professionals have achieved impressive results by working together. We are grateful for the hard work and close partnerships that continue to allow us to recover and soar to new heights,” says Nicola Madden-Greig, President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA).

In the Caribbean Travel Trends Report, a common thread from destination to destination, withstanding its geo-location and target audience, was the importance of being a destination that is easily reached and improving flight connectivity.

From the Dominican Republic to the US Virgin Islands, Turks & Caicos, and Curacao – all destinations increased their international arrivals by savvy use of travel data to decipher topflight routes, airline carriers and origin markets. Unlike other destinations that cut down the number of flights or changed the configuration of the airframes, these destinations widened their flight networks and connections.

North American visitors heavily contributed to some of the positive arrival figures. Some destinations, like the Turks & Caicos Islands experienced growth of both US and Canadian travelers over 2019 levels.

Canada is having a comeback, so it is one to watch as the incoming figures will build up as flight connectivity and demand increase. The two markets also showed preference for different destinations. The fastest growing destinations for Canadians were Aruba, Turks & Caicos Islands, and Barbados, while US travelers chose Jamaica, Turks & Caicos Islands, and the Dominican Republic. It is a case of apples and oranges when dealing with the North American market, one shape does not fit them all.