XXI Inter-American Congress of Ministers and High-level Authorities of Tourism
Honduras September 5-6, 2013
NATURAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT & RESILIENCE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE TOURISM SECTOR
Judi Clarke Regional Coordinator The CARIBSAVE Partnership Overview of tourism in the Caribbean
The Caribbean is considered to The tourism industry is a be the most tourism-dependant labour intensive one which region in the world. provides very good opportunities for the tertiary Most Caribbean islands do not services, crafts, foods, have significant exports, so farming, fishing & other tourism is important as a key ancillary services. earner of foreign exchange
Tourism represents 41% of exports of goods & services in the Caribbean region and 8.9% in Latin America (IADB, 2013). Types of climate-related hazards in Latin America & the Caribbean
Hurricanes Flooding Drought Storm Surge Heat waves Less frequently virus outbreaks
Impacts from weather and climate events depend nature and severity of event, exposure and vulnerability! What makes the sector vulnerable?
With its traditional use of natural resources & climate-based activities, tourism is a highly climate-sensitive economic sector.
Caribbean islands are located in the hurricane belt.
Vulnerability is often exacerbated by a lack of capacity in implementing the necessary strategies to reduce the risks, both within the public / policymaking & private sectors (World Bank, 2002). How natural disasters affect the Caribbean tourism industry Examples of past disasters in the Caribbean that impacted tourism
In 2004, Hurricane Ivan caused major damage in Grenada of around $1.1 billion dollars while experiencing a dramatic reduction in tourist visits to the island. The economy of St. Kitts and Nevis experienced strong growth for most of the 1990s but hurricanes in 1998 and 1999 contributed to a sharp slowdown*. Benson et al. (2001) noted how infrastructure destruction due to hurricanes have been related to a decline in visitor numbers by around 30% in Dominica over the 1978- 1986 period. In 2007, frightened tourists in Jamaica frantically tried to leave Jamaica in the wake of hurricane Dean after beach resorts had to be evacuated due to battering waves, only to be met with airport jams & the inability to leave the island. Impacts of tropical storms in the Bahamas Date # of People Affected # of Deaths Economic Impacts Storm name Locations Impacted 1992 - Aug 1,700 homeless 4 dead US$ 250,000,000 Hurricane Andrew Eleuthera, Bimini, Berry Islands 1999 - Sept 1,500 homeless 1 dead US$ 450,000,000 Hurricane Floyd Grand Bahama, Providence Island, San Salvador, Eleuthera, Abaco, Cat island, Rum Cay, Man-O-War Cay, Green Turtle Cay, Elbow Cay, Harbour, Govenor, Nassau 2001 - Nov 0 0 US$ 300,000,000 Hurricane Michelle New Providence 2004 - Sept 9,000 homeless 12 dead US$ 1,550,000,000 Hurricane Francis/Jeanne Great Abaco, Grand Bahama 2005 - August 1,500 homeless 1 dead 0 Hurricane Wilma 200 homes destroyed Cat Island 2007 7,000 homeless 1 dead US$ 100,000,000 Hurricane Noel (3,500 affected Long Long Island, Cat Island, Exuma Island, 2,000 displaced Cat Island, 1,500 Exuma)
Source: EM-DAT, 2009 and ReliefWeb, 2011
Where will we go on holiday instead?
Source: http://tourismmalaysiausa.com/ How can the region reduce losses and damage from natural disasters?
Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) Regional Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Plan of Action for the Caribbean Tourism Sector Risk reduction Preparedness Response Risk Reduction To promote tourism activities that contribute to the prudent management of standing forests and other critical ecosystems, thereby protecting the ecosystem services further sustaining the risk reduction services they provide. Examining opportunities for revised setbacks for new tourism investments Diversifying Tourism Offerings Advocacy for investment in Risk Reduction
Prepared by Ronald Jackson, CDEMA, August 2013 Preparedness and Response To enhance tourism sector contingency planning and capacity building to minimize the loss of life and injury to tourists, tourism sector workers and property damage with an emphasis on tourist To promote individual and family preparedness amongst employees of the tourism sector. To foster tourism clusters and their integration into their communities’ contingency planning. To enhance the development of emergency response/disaster plans (and related capacity to execute plans) in the tourism sector (and other key supporting sectors).
Prepared by Ronald Jackson, CDEMA, August 2013 Recovery…still relevant Decisions & actions taken after a disaster to restore or improve the pre-disaster situation Facilitating future disaster risk reduction, therefore feeding back into the initial phases of the management cycle.
E.g. for tourism : Restoration of the reputation of the business & destination with assurance to stakeholders that visitation & business can resume.
The development of a close working relationship between tourism government authorities, businesses & emergency management agencies is integral to minimizing the impact of any natural disaster on a tourism business or destination in future. CARIBSAVE’S work on disaster management & ‘climate-proofing’
The CARIBSAVE Climate Change Risk Atlas (CCCRA) Phase I The Climate Change, Coastal Community Enterprises: Adaptation, Resilience and Knowledge (C-ARK) Barbados, Jamaica, Belize, the Bahamas Helping communities to understand and respond to the risks from natural disaster Helping MSMEs in (tourism, agriculture, craft, fisheries) adjust their business plans or adopt new income-generating activities Building adaptive as well as livelihood capacity through training & other development workshops. Conclusions The Caribbean needs more best-practice examples Solutions for reducing the risk of disaster impact on tourism in Latin America & the Caribbean lie in disaster preparedness planning, and climate change adaptation strategies. Adaptation strategies should involve shifts in development within countries where necessary, for e.g., repositioning vulnerable tourism facilities / activities away from disaster prone areas or strengthening exposed Infrastructure- i.e.- ‘climate-proofing’. Vulnerable small island developing states should implement more effective national and sectoral policies, plans to adapt to climate-risks. GRACIAS POR SU ATENCIÓN
The CARIBSAVE Partnership www.caribsave.org