Hoteliers Respond to the Effects of Hurricane Maria

Areas such as Puerto Rico and the Turks and Caicos islands were devastated by strong winds and damage from Hurricane Maria when it tore through a portion of the Caribbean on Wednesday, September 20, but other parts of the region, such as Aruba and Jamaica, were not damaged by the storm, according to a report by Hotel News Now.

Frank Comito, CEO and director general of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, said 70 percent of the area was not severely affected and is open for business.

He said the view that the entire Caribbean region was devastated by Maria isn’t true. “Over 70 percent of the hotels are fully operational,” he said, adding that places such as the Bahamas and St. Kitts that were initially hit by Hurricane Irma have “already bounced back.”

For those Caribbean islands that were severely affected by Hurricane Maria, including Puerto Rico and the Turks and Caicos islands, Comito said the CHTA is working with the Caribbean Tourism Organization and the National Hotel and Tourism Association to get destination reports on a regular basis.

Updates can be found at www.caribbeantravelupdate.com, as well as information on how to help with immediate relief and sustainable recovery.

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