‘Rebranded plantations’: how empire shaped luxury Caribbean tourism Luxury tourism in the Caribbean sells a kind of timelessness. A paradise of sun, sea and sand. But to step off the cruise ship or away from the all-inclusive resort is to see a more complex picture: a history of colonialism and a future of climate devastation. New research from the Common Wealth thinktank maps how, over the 400 years since the first English ships arrived in Barbados, empire engineered a system of wealth extraction that shapes the tourism economies of today. Sir Hilary Beckles, Barbadian historian and chair of the Caricom Reparations Commission, describes Barbados as the birthplace of British slave society. Between 1640 and 1807, Britain transported about 387,000 enslaved west Africans to the island. Extraordinary violence, from whippings to amputations and executions, were a regular feature of their lives. On the Codrington Plantation in the mid-18th century, 43% of the enslaved died within three years of [...]

The decline in American tourism hits Mexico and the Caribbean: Everything you need to know Mexico joins Jamaica, Bahamas, Barbados, Virgin Islands, Cuba, and others in the Caribbean facing a sudden decline in U.S. tourist arrivals in the last month of this year due to shifting travel trends. Despite the region’s usual appeal, with its beautiful beaches, rich culture, and vibrant tourism scenes, December saw a notable dip in visitors from the U.S. This decline can be attributed to a variety of factors, including changing travel preferences, economic challenges, and increased competition from other destinations. While these Caribbean spots continue to offer unique experiences, the decrease in U.S. arrivals signals the need for the region to adapt and reassess its appeal to maintain its position as a top tourist destination. Understanding these shifts is key for both travelers and the tourism industry in the Caribbean. Mexico: A Slight Decline Doesn’t Diminish Its [...]

Dominican Republic’s environmental milestone: achieves first resolution on sargassum at the UNEA The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) adopted the resolution “Strengthening the global response to the massive influx of Sargassum blooms,” drafted and presented by the Dominican Republic and co-sponsored by Barbados and Jamaica, marking a milestone for the country’s environmental diplomacy and the Greater Caribbean region. This resolution constitutes the first instrument adopted by the UNEA to address the phenomenon of Sargassum, and the first resolution presented by the Dominican Republic to this body, consolidating years of diplomatic work to highlight the growing impact of the massive blooms of this macroalga. It is worth remembering that President Luis Abinader highlighted the urgency in the Caribbean to find a solution to the arrival of these algae on beaches, their impact on tourism, and how the Dominican Republic has been addressing this issue. The text acknowledges that massive influxes of Sargassum represent a ‘serious and growing socio-economic and environmental [...]

Caribbean tourism grows despite low demand from the U.S. The Caribbean tourism industry, by and large, is still showing some real grit, with initial data from the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) suggesting international arrivals actually nudged up by approximately 2% during the first half of 2025, in comparison to the same timeframe back in 2024. If you look at it, the region played host to around 18.5 million visitors between January and June 2025. This, broadly speaking, surpasses the 18.2 million figure from 2024, not to mention the 17.5 million seen way back in 2019, just before, of course, the whole pandemic thing threw a wrench into global travel. The growth rate, while maybe not quite as explosive as the immediate post-pandemic bounce, still indicates a generally positive trajectory for the sector. As Paul Garnes, who takes care of the CTO’s database, put it, “The Caribbean tourism industry showed strong resilience and continued [...]

Jamaica tourism: We're ready for the winter season Five weeks after getting battered by Hurricane Melissa, Jamaica remains on track to have most of its tourism infrastructure open by Dec. 15, said John Lynch, chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board. On Oct. 31, Jamaica minister of tourism Edmund Bartlett set a Dec. 15 target date for Jamaica's tourism industry to be fully back in operation. The hurricane barreled into Jamaica on Oct. 28. The Dec. 15 date carries symbolic significance for the tourism industry, Lynch said in an interview here. "December 15 has always been the official start of the winter season," he said. To be sure, many hotels that were heavily damaged by the storm's 185-mile-an-hour winds remain shuttered. But large parts of the 146-mile-long island were relatively unscathed by the hurricane. Lynch said the storm left behind "pockets" of intense destruction while leaving other adjacent areas unharmed. "This hurricane was very unusual," [...]