Caribbean Tourism Expects Harsher Storms as Climate Risks Grow
Photo Credit: A Sandals resort in Jamaica suffered extensive damage during Hurricane Melissa. Nikki Adkins
Skift Take
Tourism faces the costly task of adapting to better weather harsher storms, but much of the global travel industry still lacks the financing and governance needed to prepare.
The head of the Caribbean Tourism Organization said climate change is a present reality, as the Caribbean continues to recover from Hurricane Melissa, one of the most destructive storms to hit the region.
Speaking at ITB Berlin on Thursday, Donna Regis-Prosper, CEO of the Caribbean Tourism Organization, said the region had moved beyond debating greenhouse emissions and was now focused on adapting to more frequent and severe storms.
"There is no teacher as great as a practical experience," she said, adding "I have personally gone through over 10 Category five hurricanes in my lifetime."
The region is still recovering from Hurricane Melissa, which struck last October with winds of up to 185 mph.
"We're beyond mitigation, we're not abandoning it
