The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on destinations around the world that are reliant on tourism, and Caribbean Island nations have been among the most economically wounded.
Kalim Shah, assistant professor of public policy at the University of Delaware, can provide insights on pandemic related trends in U.S. travel to major island vacation destination actions and how travel regulations both in the U.S. and destination islands have impacted island economies.
He can also discuss strategies for recovery of economic losses; how U.S. islands have been innovative in reclaiming some market and altered strategies to rebuild tourism sectors; the impact of shut downs on the hotel business sector, including U.S. hotel chains in island nations; and how the pandemic is changing corporate environmental health related practices in the islands hotel sector.
He offered the following main points drawn from a recent article he wrote, "Caribbean Public Health Management: Reform needs revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic."
- Even as omicron increases infection rates, the vaccination rates in many Caribbean islands have slowed hovering at 40-60%.
- Vaccine access and vaccine hesitancy both color the situation in Caribbean islands and have varying roots from cultural convictions to the inadequacy of public interventions.
- U.S. travel restrictions continue to have devastating economic impacts on already heavily indebted Caribbean islands dependent on tourism.
- The United Kingdom has now resumed flights to most Caribbean islands for eager European travelers who have been in lockdowns.
- U.S. travel restrictions are also impacting U.S. -Caribbean business relations which will have longer-term consequences.
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