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Iceland volcano affects Caribbean tourism

Posted by CaribShout on April 22, 2010 at 8:25pm

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, April 21, 2010 — With around 3 000 UK-bound tourists stranded in Barbados, Ministry of Tourism officials will be doing all that they can to ensure that the island’s only international airport does not become a camping ground for those waiting to get home. This was the assurance given to the media yesterday, April 20, by Minister of Tourism Richard Sealy while at the Almond Beach Resort in St James – the first stop on his tour of tourist accommodations across the island that have become temporary homes to the stranded visitors since ongoing eruptions of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano have forced the cancellation of more than 95 000 flights in and out of Europe. Sealy expressed dismay at sights in the media of stranded travelers camping out in airports across the world as the volcanic ash cloud blanketing northern Europe grounded commercial airlines amid safety concerns. “We have taken the deliberate decision as a destination that we should not just remain as a spectator but to offer as much empathy as we can and assist by way of sharing information and helping with the peculiar requirements some may have….We have seen pictures of European airports with bunk beds and people camping out for days at a time and we do not want that kind of situation at Grantley Adams [International Airport] with 3 000 people trying to get out,” Sealy said. And it is expected that the prolonged stay by thousands of stranded tourists will translate to additional visitor spend not only on Barbados, but the other destinations in the Caribbean currently playing host to the dislocated travelers. Apture™ "Some of them may be running out of money, but they still have to stay here and find something to eat and do things," Johnson JohnRose, spokesman for the Caribbean Tourism Organization, told Reuters. Across the Caribbean hotel managers have called in extra staff and hiked purchases of food, helping earnings in a region struggling with a tourism downturn; while adventure tour operators have also benefited as hotels hire them to keep guests entertained, according to the media group. "It really comes at a good time," Jamaica Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett told Reuters. More than 2 500 tourists, most of them British, are stuck on Jamaica and everyone from taxi drivers to farmers to telecommunication companies are benefiting, Bartlett said. The disruption in international air traffic has led to some overbooked hotels, which proved a boon to bed and breakfast inns, Bartlett added. The Grenadian, one of Grenada's top hotels, saw its occupancy rate rise from 35 percent to 80 percent, said Colman Redhead, events and group manager at the facility. About 77 tourists — most of them British — are stuck at the hotel. Some have booked sunset boat trips while others opted for tours of the outdoor market, he said. "They're making themselves happy," said Redhead, who had to call in additional employees and buy more fruits and vegetables. European airports began allowing airline flights in and out yesterday, April 20, nearly a week after Eyjafjallajokull erupted, but it could be weeks before airlines get back to normal and can get everyone back home again. However, while the stranded tourists are currently providing an economic boon to the Caribbean, there are looming concerns over what impact the disrupted flight schedules will have on the much anticipated arrival of thousands of cricketing fans set to arrive in time for the start of the International Cricket Council Twenty20 2010 tournament at month-end. The manner in which affected airlines balance the demands of current ticket holders against the needs of delayed travelers will determine the outcome for the legions of cricketing fans set to descend on the Caribbean.
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Tags: caribbean, iceland, affects, economy, people, tourism, volcano

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