The Caribbean Needs YOU!

The travel industry always has its challenges, but the Caribbean hasn’t been able to get a break lately. Think about the last couple of years: hurricanes, sargassum, more hurricanes, sensationalized reporting. The list goes on and on, adding up to a very big negative impact on a part of the world that we all love to visit.

Whether it’s a hurricane that affects a tiny part of the region, or reporters running amok, the damage can be felt far and wide. The Bahamas is open for business virtually everywhere, despite the devastation seen on TV, yet the message I hear from people is that you can’t travel there. Many times, that sentiment goes beyond the specific island and impacts the entire region.

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With news coverage in the Dominican Republic lately, you’ve seen the impact firsthand. That’s why we launched travFACTS.org last month to address the numerous false stories. The site is designed to take those negative articles and break them down so that consumers and travel agents can see how inaccurate some media outlets are in their reporting. The launch partner for the travFACTS.org website is Apple Leisure Group and its brands. They see what we all see and are working hard to help us get the message out.

These events remind suppliers and destinations of just how important agents are to their ongoing success. Who would you trust? A website or a human being you know personally? A person who has the ability to share personal experiences of recently visiting the destination, along with a client’s feedback, has the greatest impact. This needs to be multiplied by thousands of agents, to engage millions of travelers, and stop the nonsense that shows like “Dr. Phil” continue to peddle.

You are the heart and soul of this industry, and destinations need you more than ever. Most of you will take the message directly to your clients and turn the tide, eventually, to the truth. That’s all you can do, but it will have an amazing impact when multiplied by the power of social media and your day-today efforts.

Visit travFACTS.org for some of the latest perspectives on the travel news that negatively impacts travel by sensationalizing stories with no facts. Use the site to share the stupidity of many of these reports on your various social media outlets!